Racing Through the Stars
by VA-Parky
Summary: Sensing a dangerous plot coming from the far side of the Galaxy, a few of our favorite heroes are sent undercover to unravel the mystery. SEQUEL to DWTSW. COMPLETE
1. And They're Off

**Author's Note**: This is a sequel to _Dancing with the Star Wars_. You'll probably want to read that one first, but it's not like you'll be 100 percent lost if you don't.

**What You Are Getting Into**: This will be a lighthearted fic with some romance and adventure thrown in. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer**: I don't own any part of _Star Wars_ or _The Amazing Race_. Just borrowing some characters and general ideas from them. I'm not making any money whatsoever from this - simply having a little bit of fun.

**Summary**: Sensing a wave of unrest coming from the far side of the Galaxy, a few of our favorite heroes are sent undercover to unravel the mystery.

_SIX MONTHS AFTER FINALE OF DANCING WITH THE STAR WARS_

**JEDI TEMPLE - QUARTERS OF OBI-WAN KENOBI**

"We have received reports that the Divided Systems are in the final stages of developing some sort of weapon," Obi-wan explained. "While that alone would be cause for concern, we have discovered a far more chilling goal - the weapon is designed to identify, seek out and eliminate Jedi."

Feeling Anakin tense next to her, Padme sent him reassuring thoughts, willing his anxiety to subside. He squeezed her hand in gratitude.

"We need to go there, Master," Anakin said seriously. "We should find this weapon ourselves and destroy it."

Agreeing wholeheartedly, Obi-wan nodded, "The Council concurs. Unfortunately, the Divided Systems have spies everywhere. All transports - private and public - are being monitored and boarded as they enter the Rempart System. And since the only way to get to their main operations center on Plauu is through the Rempart System-"

"We'll be discovered before we can get there and they will flee with the weapon," Anakin finished, his voice flat.

"So you see our problem," Obi-wan stated. "We need a way to get through the Rempart System without being identified as Jedi."

"Perhaps you could take one of my ships," Padme thought aloud. "They wouldn't dare board a Senator's ship."

"I appreciate the offer, Milady," Obi-wan said, smiling. "But you know how the Divided Systems feel about the Republic. We believe the whole reason behind this weapon is to eliminate the Jedi, thereby making the Republic unstable and driving other Systems to their cause. If they were to spot a Senator's ship, they would be onto us immediately."

"Yes, yes - I understand," Padme said quickly.

"Could we disguise ourselves as refugees?" Anakin asked, remembering his first assignment when he was charged with escorting Padme to Naboo. "That worked pretty well before."

"We considered that," Obi-wan said. "But if this weapon becomes operational before we can find it, there's a chance it could be activated by our proximity if any of the boarding soldiers have it with them."

There was a moment of silence as Padme and Anakin tried to come up with another possible solution. Seeing the look of deep concentration on their faces, Obi-wan felt a stirring of pride in his chest. His one-time Padawan had turned into a fine Jedi - and Padme had proved to be a perfect match for him.

"There is one feasible idea," Obi-wan began. His heart started to pound a bit more fiercely as he prepared to outline the Council's plan.

"We have become aware of a series of ships that are being allowed to pass through the Rempart System without any monitoring whatsoever," he explained. "We have managed to secure spots for 3 Jedi and an accomplice."

"I gladly volunteer to go," Anakin offered.

"I'm happy to hear that," Obi-wan said. "Because the Council has already selected you for the assignment. And you will have a partner, one you're already very familiar with."

Aware that the Jedi Master was looking at her, Padme gasped, "Me?"

"Yes, Senator," Obi-wan replied. "In fact, the entire plan revolves around you and Anakin."

"Us? How?" Anakin asked, obviously confused and looking none too pleased at the thought of Padme being near the Divided Systems.

"Well," Obi-wan began, clearing his throat. "Demand for "Liri and Kaide" has been high since your win on _Dancing with the Star Wars_. Our Holonet contact has just told us of another show preparing to make its Galactic debut, called _Racing Through the Stars. _They are desperate to have Liri and Kaide on the show, certain it will boost viewership."

"What does this show involve?" Anakin asked, suspiciously.

Obi-wan was quick to answer, knowing this type of show would fit his apprentice like a glove, "You and Padme will work as a team, following clues and solving challenges as you make your way through the planets of the Rempart System. Eventually, the Race will take you close to Plauu and we can reach the main operations center from there."

"And I'm assuming the show's ships won't be the subject of the Divided Systems' scrutiny?" Padme followed.

"Correct," Obi-wan confirmed. "All 12 teams are to have full access to all planets and the space in between. As a gesture of goodwill," the Jedi Master had to choke out the words. "The Divided Systems have promised to leave the ships in peace. They are hoping it will increase public sympathy towards their movement."

Padme narrowed her eyes at the thought. She had to admit, it was a smart strategy.

"I'll do it," she agreed. She couldn't just sit around while the Divided Systems manipulated the Galaxy - and possibly designed a weapon that was meant to kill her husband!

"Who will make up the other team of Jedi?" Anakin wondered, shooting Padme a wary glance. He still didn't like the idea, but he knew arguing with her would get him nowhere. He could sense her determination just by looking at her - no Jedi mind reading necessary.

"Well, it will be me," Obi-wan stated, looking a tad uncomfortable. "And Master Windu will be my teammate. Or, as the Galaxy will know us, Dake and Tarv..."

**TWO WEEKS LATER, PLANET FISKIIP - OUTSIDE SHUTTLE BAY **

"On my signal, you will board the ship marked with your names. Your Travel Packs and your Camera Droid have already been loaded on board. Once you leave the planet's atmosphere, you will jump into hyperspace until you reach the Rempart System. The Guardians of the Divided Systems have been instructed to let you pass without incident, so there's no reason for worry. Once you enter the Rempart System, activate your Messaging system for the next clue," the droid host explained in a lilting metallic voice. The hovering cameras rotated from side to side, trying to catch the expressions of all the teams.

Feeling a surge of adrenaline, Padme glanced at Anakin to see his foot tapping anxiously. So, apparently she wasn't the only one ready to start their next adventure. Suppressing a smile, she cast her eyes to the side to see how Masters Kenobi and Windu were handling the anticipation. Again, she was mildly startled by the change in their appearances - Obi-wan's trademark facial hair was gone and his hair had been lightened and cut into a short, crisp style. The smile on his face was young and carefree.

Master Windu, on the other hand, still managed to look stern and foreboding even while sporting a new goatee. His gleaming head was covered by a scrap of dark fabric and he was dressed, like the other contestants, in casual clothes and boots. There wasn't a Jedi robe in sight. Quickly, she turned her attention back to the droid as it finished its instructions.

"Competitors, prepare for the race of your life! It is my pleasure to welcome you to the start of _Racing Through the Stars_!" With that, the droid zipped away.

Suddenly, there was a loud whistle and the giant shuttle bay doors opened.

The race was on!

With a grin, Anakin grabbed Padme's hand and they began running towards the ships, steps behind Obi-wan and Mace. Immediately, her eyes fell on their ship, clearly labeled "Liri and Kaide."

"There!" she cried, pointing. Anakin nodded and they quickly headed onboard. Pausing briefly at the door to enter the 'liftoff' sequence, she saw Obi-wan and Mace scramble onto the ship marked "Dake and Tarv." Smiling at their intense expressions, she ducked into the ship and felt the ramp retract as the door closed with a quiet hiss. Smoothly, she turned and headed towards her husband, already knowing where she'd find him.

"Engaging the pre-flight check," Anakin called, running through the controls and sensors. Hearing a rumble, they looked out the front windshield to see Obi-wan and Mace take off, not bothering to run through the safety routine.

"Not exactly exhibiting the fine art of patience, are they?" Anakin muttered. Reaching across her, he flipped a few switches and she felt their own engines roar to life. Within moments, they were soaring through the sky, quickly approaching the atmosphere. Hearing a tremendous _whoosh_, they looked up to see Obi-wan and Mace jump into hyperspace.

Padme and Anakin weren't far behind.


	2. Haul or Fall

**MOMENTS LATER**

Finishing the calculations, Anakin sat back in his seat. They would be in hyperspace for five hours.

_That should be sufficient time for Padme's meditation exercises and some rest,_ he thought. In the months following the discovery of their intense Force connection, he had been charged with overseeing certain aspects of his wife's training since he was such an integral part of it. It was a job he took very seriously. He couldn't explain it, but he had a nagging feeling that Padme was going to need as much knowledge about her gift as possible. _Something was coming. Something big. _

Quickly, he gave her a brief summary of his proposed plans. She quickly nodded her agreement; it was clear that she too remembered the gravity behind Master Yoda's statement - _'powerful, this new development is. Much care you must take to learn how to use it.'_ They were both silent for a moment, puzzling over the meaning once again.

"Well, I think our camera droid should be making an appearance soon," Padme said, trying to lighten the mood. As if he had been waiting to be summoned, a droid rolled into the cockpit.

"Artoo?" they cried. With a cheerful whistle, the droid settled in and plugged himself into the ship's computer. He wanted to make sure he was up to speed. Beeping happily, he felt the data begin to flow through his system.

Giving the faithful droid another bemused glance, Anakin and Padme headed for the back room to begin their meditation exercises. Then, they would get some much needed rest. Anakin knew exhaustion could lead to stupid mistakes.

**SHIP OF DAKE AND TARV - SAME TIME**

Following Mace to the back of the ship, Obi-wan saw the Jedi Master tense as their camera droid emerged from its charging chamber. Unable to see past him, Obi-wan wondered about the reason behind his anxiety. He didn't have to wait long to find out.

"Masters! It is so good to see you," Threepio called, raising his arm in a greeting. "I am looking forward to our upcoming time together." After another moment, he fearfully added, "I only hope it's not too dangerous."

"Hello, Threepio. Welcome to the team," Obi-wan offered, shooting Mace a helpless glance. "I'm sure there won't be any danger at all, wouldn't you agree, Tarv?"

"Yes," Mace agreed sharply. Without a backwards glance, he returned to the front of the ship and brought up a hologram of the Rempart System. Waiting impatiently for Obi-wan to join him, he studied the rotating map.

"We should start preparing. Here is a quick outline of the System we'll be racing in. It's very important that we know our way around. We should commit these planets and their unique properties to memory."

With a sigh, Obi-wan took the seat across from a very competitive Mace Windu.

**FIVE HOURS LATER**

Waking with a start, Padme realized the ship was coming out of hyperspace. Glancing at the empty cot next to her, she assumed Anakin must have already returned to the cockpit to prepare the ship for the next leg of their journey. Quickly, she worked her hair into a braid and joined him, putting a soft hand on his shoulder.

"I was just coming to wake you," Anakin said. "We're approaching the Rempart System. This is where we'll find out if the Divided Systems really meant what they said."

Instantly, the last remnants of sleep fled Padme's system as she felt her senses come alive. Easing into the seat next to Anakin, she expertly brought up their coordinates and watched with bated breath as they entered the outlying area of the System. With a gasp, she saw the line of imposing ships ahead of them - the Guardians.

Frowning, Anakin studied the small ship that had just appeared ahead of them, quickly realizing it was the one carrying Obi-wan and Mace. He scarcely moved as he watched the ship glide up to the line of fighters. After a moment, the giant ships parted, allowing them access to the System. Following his Masters' lead, Anakin guided his own ship through and felt the relief flow through him once they were on the other side.

Immediately, their Messaging System popped up and a hologram of the host droid began to speak.

"Welcome to the Rempart System. From here, you are to pilot your ship to the Planet Kojah. Once there, you will land in Sector 5E where you will find your next clue." Quickly, the image blinked off. Leaning forward, Padme tapped a few buttons and a glittering image of the Rempart System came up before her eyes.

Studying the starmap, Anakin suddenly pointed, "There!" Nodding her agreement, Padme gripped the controls, preparing to pilot the ship towards the wayward planet. She caught a flash out of the corner of her eye and saw the ship carrying the Jedi Masters fly off in the opposite direction. Shrugging at Anakin, she continued on her way.

**SHIP OF DAKE AND TARV**

"Master, are you sure this is the right way? Perhaps we should take a moment-" Obi-wan wondered, noticing Anakin heading off in the other direction. He slowly rubbed a hand over his face, his eyes blurry from studying the Rempart System for the past 5 hours. He had looked over it so much the information had started running together.

"Yes, I am certain," Mace replied, his fingers flying over the controls.

After several moments, it became clear that there were no hospitable planets anywhere nearby and the senior Jedi Master was starting to get agitated.

"Dake, this is obviously incorrect," Mace stated, his voice hard. "Kojah is not out here."

Throwing his hands up, Obi-wan retorted, "Well, I wanted to consult the holographic map-"

"There is no time for arguing," Mace interrupted. Expertly, he banked the ship in a sharp turn and headed back towards their original position.

**KOJAH, SECTOR 5E**

Easily, Anakin set the ship down and exited, Padme steps behind him. Spotting a hologram shimmering across the field, they started towards it, increasing their pace when they saw three more ships preparing to land.

Coming to a stop, the hologram began to speak, "You've reached a divergence," it commanded. "You must choose your path - Haul or Fall."

Quickly, the picture changed to show a large field as the voiceover continued, "In Haul, teams will be required to move heavy stones from one side of the field to another. The work is simple, but it could take some time." After a pause, the picture changed again to show a large body of water as the voice continued, "In Fall, teams will have to find the Kojah Waterfall and navigate the falls using a small boat. Once the Waterfall is found, the task will go fairly quickly, but the height of the fall could be frightening."

Looking at each other, Padme and Anakin agreed, "Fall." Taking the piece of parchment from the marked container, they saw a crudely drawn map. After taking a moment to study it, they took off towards the West, Artoo following closely behind. They gave a polite nod at the other approaching contestants and grinned at the sight of an extremely agitated Obi-wan Kenobi and Mace Windu sprinting towards the hologram, Threepio stumbling merrily behind them.

_They don't look too happy,_ Anakin thought, shooting a glance over his shoulder at the Jedi Masters.

Letting out a laugh, Padme continued to run.

**KOJAH WATERFALL – MOMENTS LATER**

Gingerly, Anakin climbed into the boat, pushing off with his oar as he did so. He could see the tension in Padme's shoulders as she began to paddle. Vaguely, he caught a glimpse of the hovering camera droid as it followed their every move. He was glad the show had thought to include one. He was afraid to think of what would happen if Artoo was in the boat with them!

"Utter disaster," he muttered.

"What?" Padme cried.

_Oops. _

"I wasn't talking about this," he insisted. "Um, forget I said anything."

Padme vaguely thought that was going to be easily done because looming ahead of them was a flood of gushing water... And ahead of that was - nothingness.

_Anakin! What have we gotten ourselves into?_

_It will be all right, love. Hold on tight, okay?_

Feeling the waves of comfort he sent her through the Force, she smiled softly.

And then screamed as they plunged over the edge.


	3. Thy Name is Mud

**Author's Note**: _Hey there! Here's another chapter! Hope everyone is enjoying the story so far! Please review if you have a moment. And a special thank you to Hellish Red Devil, meandmysharpie and Anakin's Girl! Your reviews have really meant a lot! _

Padme's scream caught in her throat as their boat slammed to a stop, resting heavily on a stone outcropping which had been disguised by the rushing water just seconds before. Grabbing onto the sides of the boat, she watched as it slowly floated forward before falling another distance and catching on a second rocky shelf. After a few more of these bone-jarring occurrences, she felt the boat finally settle into a body of deep water as they reached the bottom of the waterfall.

Laughing in relief, she turned to find Anakin grinning at her as their hovering camera droid filmed the entire scene from above. Quickly, they grabbed their paddles and began making their way to shore. Once there, they hopped out of the boat and stood before the shimmering hologram.

A voiceover began to speak as the picture changed to show a perfect image of their ship. "Now that you've conquered the waterfall, board your ship and make your way to Sector 9A. Once you've landed, find the Great Rock for information on your next challenge."

Padme turned to Anakin as the image blinked off. Hearing another scream and a burst of hysterical laughter, they looked up to see another set of contestants working their way down the waterfall. Realizing they'd better head out if they wanted to keep their lead, they began to run, Artoo rolling along behind them.

**LANDING FIELD - SAME TIME**

Sweating, Obi-wan started across the grassy field, his arms loaded down with heavy stones. From far away, he could hear screams and shouts of relief as the other contestants made their way down the giant waterfall. With a grimace, he released his hold on the stones and watched as they came to rest on top of the others.

"Hurry, Dake!" Mace commanded, as he sprinted forward with another load of rocks. "We can still regain our lead!"

"If you haven't noticed," Obi-wan replied, his tone a touch sarcastic. "We're the only ones who chose this horrible option and we've been working for several minutes without making a dent in that blasted pile!"

Shooting him a glare, Mace hurried back to the large rock pile, scooping up another load as he barked, "That's beside the point! Move!"

Furrowing his brows, Obi-wan hauled up another armful of the heavy material and started across the field, his legs beginning to scream with protest. His jaw dropped as he saw Anakin and Padme emerge from the far end of the field, their eyes dancing with delight, hair damp from the water. Quickly, they scrambled up the ramp and disappeared into their ship. Within seconds, he heard their engines start up and watched as their ship made a clean break for the sky.

With a fresh surge of energy, Obi-wan and Mace began another arduous trek across the field.

**KOJAH - SECTOR 9A**

Anakin gently set the ship down and opened the exit doors. Seeing another ship doing the same, he moved to follow Padme and Artoo as they surveyed the surrounding area. Almost immediately, his eyes came to rest on a large rocky outcropping that seemed to reach straight for the clouds. Nudging Padme gently, he jerked his head towards it questioningly and she nodded her head in agreement. Walking quietly, they started towards the structure, chagrined when the other couple noticed and followed them.

Sure enough, a hologram was waiting for them at the top and it began to speak as they approached, "Welcome to the Great Rock. You have reached a Blockade - a task only one person can perform. Now, who doesn't mind a little mud?"

Recalling Padme's love for gardening and all things outdoors, Anakin looked at her expectantly. She nodded and stepped forward, as did the other female contestant. Sensing the movement, the hologram began to speak again.

"Contestants must make their way across a ceremonial mud pit. This passage is representative of an annual Kojahian celebration; one that is meant to symbolize the struggle of day-to-day life throughout the Galaxy. As in the real ceremony, this mud pit is inhabited by Pol'an, snake-like creatures who try to cast out any intruders. Your goal is to make it to the other side, where you will receive your next clue."

With a look towards Anakin that clearly said, _you owe me,_ Padme shed her travel cloak and boots, leaving her in a long sleeved tunic and soft blue pants. Taking a moment to clear her mind, she made her way across the top of the Great Rock and spotted the giant mud pit below. Without a moment's hesitation, she began to run and jumped as far as she could, landing in the mud with a rather undignified _splat._ Almost immediately, she disappeared from view.

With a shriek, the other contestant froze in her tracks as she saw bubbles form where Padme had gone under. Feeling his heart drop to his toes, Anakin started forward, preparing to dive into the murk. _Padme! _his mind screamed.

Suddenly, there was a commotion a few feet from where Padme had disappeared. Focusing his attention on that area, he felt a rush of relief as his wife surfaced, gasping for air as the mud dripped down her face. _I'm okay, Ani! _With a grim sense of determination, she started towards the far side, moving in slow motion through the thick mess. Dimly, she heard another _splat_ as the other contestant finally joined her. Moments later, Anakin spotted something slithering through the mud and Padme began to struggle, trying to pull herself free of the Pol'an's grip. She could feel herself tiring, but her fierce resolve never faltered. Finally, she broke away and pulled herself forward once again. As she approached the far end, another Pol'an broke the surface and started towards her. Taking a deep breath, Padme dove into the mud, barely slipping past the creature. Anakin was there to grab her hands as she surfaced, pulling her out of the pit.

Instantly, their clue popped up as Padme reached for a swatch of soft fabric that had been set out for the contestants. "Congratulations! You have completed the Blockade. Now, proceed to Sector 13P for the final instructions for this leg of the race."

With another swipe at the mud on her face, Padme slipped her boots on and wearily started down the rocky path, following Anakin to the ship.

**SHIP OF DAKE AND TARV - SECTOR 9A**

Hardly waiting for the ship to touch down, Mace was already out and running for the large rock he had spotted in the distance, now easily identified by the other contestants surrounding it. Obi-wan hurried behind him, suddenly catching sight of someone positively _dripping_ with mud, as she trailed Anakin back to the ship.

_Wait - was that-? Padme? What in the-! Oh, she is going to single handedly demote the entire Council when this is over..._

"Dake! Hurry up!" he heard Master Windu yell. On instinct, he quickened his pace and jerked to a stop in front of the hologram, a move that almost had Threepio colliding with his back. After the instructions had been read, he hesitated a moment before realizing that Mace was looking at him with flinty eyes.

_Blast!_

"Very well," he sighed, pulling off his boots.

**SECTOR 13-P**

"We're here!" Anakin called as he eased the ship down into a large crater.

Quickly, Padme tossed aside the towel she'd been using to dry her hair and pulled on a clean pair of boots. In one smooth motion, she gathered her hair into a loose knot and tied it off with a leather band. Seconds behind her husband, she scrambled down the ship's ramp and came to a halt next to Artoo.

"There!" she called triumphantly, spotting the telltale signal of the hologram. Jogging over, the voiceover began in earnest as they approached.

"You've reached another divergence. You must choose your path - Climb or Time." The hologram changed to show the cliff that lay in front of them. "In Climb, contestants will need to work together to climb up the face of this steep cliff. The task should go quickly, but is very physically demanding."

After a brief hesitation, the picture morphed into a pathway, winding back and forth. The explanation continued, "In Time, teams will take a lengthy hike around the rim of the crater. The task is fairly simple, but the distance is far and will take some time to complete." As the image faded away, Anakin studied Padme, fully aware of the exhaustion she was feeling - he could sense it through their bond.

"Climb," she blurted, her eyes sparkling.

"Are you sure-" he started, his words trailing off as he saw her marching towards the cliff. Grabbing a solid handhold, she pulled herself off the ground. Shaking his head in sincere admiration, Anakin followed.

Closing her eyes, Padme tried to shield her face from the dust that was flying up as another ship prepared to land. She could hear Anakin's thoughts begin to merge with her own. _It's okay. Take your time._

Realizing she'd come to a spot where she couldn't find another handhold, she looked up to find Anakin extending his hand. _I've got you. _With a grateful smile, she accepted the help and clambered up a few more feet. Stopping to catch her breath, she suddenly felt Anakin pushing her from behind.

"Kaide!" she admonished. "Really!"

"Sorry, sorry-" Anakin apologized, trying to keep the laughter out of his voice. "I thought you needed more help."

"I'm fine - just resting!" she insisted. A blush crept along her cheeks as she realized the hovering droid was once again silently recording their every move. She said a prayer of thanks that she had at least remembered to call Anakin by his alias. Once again, she started to climb, working in tandem with Anakin as they navigated the steep face of the cliff. _Almost there, love!_ Finally, they pulled themselves up and over the edge and sat on the rocks for a moment as they looked out over the giant crater. Shielding their eyes, they saw the two Jedi Masters rush from their ship, Obi-wan's hair still wet from a quick rinse. Threepio had apparently given up trying to follow them – instead, they were now being followed by a small, black camera droid.

Surprised that they were ahead of their friends, Anakin and Padme quickly stood and made their way towards the large dwelling where they could see the host droid awaiting their arrival.

"Welcome to the First Destination! You will now have a full day to rest, eat and interact with the other contestants!" the droid intoned, his voice booming against the walls. "And now, Liri and Kaide, it is my pleasure to announce that you are team number one!"

With a cry of joy, Padme threw her arms around Anakin and he spun her in a circle. Setting her back on her feet, they hugged once more before facing the droid as he continued, "As winners of this first leg of the race, you have been granted a ship upgrade. Your ship will now be outfitted with a fresh supply of clothing and meals. Congratulations!"

"Thank you," they replied simultaneously. Kissing Padme on the forehead, Anakin gently led her to the side as they watched the other teams file in. Vaguely, he started to worry when he didn't see Masters Windu or Obi-wan after the first six teams. Finally, he spotted the two men sprinting for the host droid.

"Welcome, Tarv and Dake," the droid greeted. "You are team number seven."

"Unacceptable," Master Windu snapped. "Dake, I told you we should have done the waterfall-"

"What?" Obi-wan cried as they walked away. "I suggested that, but you wanted to stick close to the ships!"

"Now is not the time for reevaluating our choices..." Mace's voice faded away as they headed through the door. Suppressing a burst of laughter, Anakin and Padme followed.


	4. Ride or Glide

**Author's Note: **_Hello, dear readers! Thank you for the reviews – Niraha Skywalker and Hopeless4Life, I'm so glad you've joined us for the sequel! Welcome! Anakin's Girl and meandmysharpie – you continue to be great reviewers and I appreciate it! Thanks for reading everyone, here's another chapter – hope you enjoy! _

**FIRST DESTINATION, KOJAH CASTLE - TWO HOURS LATER**

Feeling substantially refreshed, Anakin popped a piece of fruit in his mouth and chewed thoughtfully. Running a hand down his arm, he admired the new clothes they'd won, the material soft to his touch. Looking up, he saw Padme sweep into the room, also looking comfortable in her new garments. As she took a seat next to him, she ran a hand through his still-damp hair and playfully swiped the soft piece of bread he was getting ready to eat.

"Hey!" he cried, laughing. "Get your own!"

Before he could exact revenge, they heard the distinctive chime that indicated a visitor. Reaching into the Force, he immediately sensed his Masters standing outside. Quickly, he punched in the code to open the door and welcomed them inside.

"Milady," they greeted Padme. With a warm smile, she inclined her head in response. Taking the seats across from her, they gingerly lowered themselves to the cushion, the strain of the rock hauling evident in their careful movements. Raising an amused brow at Obi-wan, Anakin settled himself next to Padme.

"We've received notice that some of the Guardian ships are moving towards Plauu. It seems we'll have to wait until the race takes us a bit closer before we can make a move," Master Windu explained. "If we were to try to go there now, we would be discovered too easily."

Nodding, Anakin agreed. He knew this mission was extremely important and didn't want to jeopardize it in any way. He called to mind his Master's many lessons on patience and realized this was going to be a true test.

"There's one more thing we need to discuss," Obi-wan said gently. "I have spoken with Master Yoda. He's found some ancient writings on Force bonds..."

"Yes?" Padme prompted.

"Well, he wanted me to emphasize how important it is to continue your meditations. Apparently, he found a lesson that speaks of the joy that can come from such a connection - and the pain..."

"Pain?" Anakin interrupted sharply.

"In some cases, the Bond becomes so ingrained that it is almost taken for granted. If that happens, it can be manipulated to cause suffering and false illusions. You must be careful," Obi-wan said emphatically, giving them both a concerned look.

"We will, Master," Anakin promised, as Padme nodded.

"If you'll excuse us," Mace stated. "We should retire to our quarters. We plan to run a much cleaner race tomorrow and have some studying to do in preparation."

Noting Obi-wan's pained look, Anakin merely smiled and said, "Yes, my Masters. Have a good evening."

**QUARTERS OF DAKE AND TARV - FOUR HOURS LATER**

"Of course, it is possible that they will send us to Yerta, the planet of fire," Mace mused, rubbing a hand over his goatee. "Yerta is well known for the precious metals they produce; perhaps we would be sent into a mine to find some sort of gem... Obi-wan, are you paying attention?"

Bringing his eyes open with a snap, the Jedi Master stumbled, "Yes, or course. Yerta, fire, mining. I've got it."

Giving him a skeptical look, Mace continued to strategize until Obi-wan finally stood up, "Master, please. We've got to get some sleep and I need to catch up on my meditation exercises."

After a pause, Mace reluctantly agreed and Obi-wan made a hasty escape, but not before hearing, "We'll review the rest of the System in the morning."

_Blast!_

**QUARTERS OF LIRI AND KAIDE - SAME TIME**

Finishing up the meditation exercises, Padme stretched her body and rolled her head from side-to-side, stifling a yawn. It had been a nice, peaceful evening and she was looking forward to the morning, which was sure to bring another fascinating day of racing.

Smiling, she looked over at Anakin and saw him stretched out on the bed, sleeping soundly. With some effort, she managed to roll him to the side and slipped in beside him. Wrapping her arms around his chest, she snuggled into his shoulder and fell into a deep slumber.

**OUTSIDE KOJAH CASTLE - 24 HOURS AFTER ARRIVAL **

As the hologram came to life, Anakin and Padme tensed, ready to sprint for their ship as soon as the clue was recited. Hearing Artoo issue a quiet beep of excitement from his place behind them, they knew they weren't the only ones.

"Welcome to the second leg of Racing Through the Stars! From here, you will travel to Ginper, a planet known for its _chilly_ climate. Once you enter the atmosphere, put your ship down in Sector 4T. Your next clue will be waiting."

Immediately, they headed for the ship, happy to see it had been moved to higher ground so they didn't have to figure out a way to get back down the cliff. A few minutes after boarding, they had the ship streaking for the sky, the scene below them becoming smaller and smaller.

"Ginper, Ginper," Padme mumbled, studying the starmap. "It's known to be 'chilly.' That means it's probably an outlying planet... Hmmm... Ah, yes, here it is," she stated, punching in the coordinates. The ship responded instantly and she sat back in the seat, smiling at Anakin.

"Nice work," he complimented. "Now, we should-"

His statement was cut off as a loud racket filled the air. Anakin jumped out of his seat and ran to the engine room, dismayed to see the main engine sparking and sputtering.

"Oh no!" Padme cried, peeking over his shoulder. "Can you fix it?"

"Yes, but it will take some time," he replied. A look of intense concentration came over his face as he shut off the main power, causing the emergency lights to flicker to life and casting an eerie glow throughout the ship. Intently, he probed the wires in an attempt to identify the problem.

Sensing he was fully absorbed in the repairs, Padme started for the door, calling over her shoulder, "I'm going to see what we have in the way of warm clothes. Let me know if you need anything - I have my comlink."

Nodding absently, he went to work on the damaged engine.

**SHIP OF DAKE AND TARV - FORTY MINUTES LATER**

Mace clenched his jaw as the ship left the Kojahian atmosphere and headed into the inky blackness of space. Calling up his starmap, his mind raced as he tried to recall just where he had seen Ginper. After a few moments of frustration, he swiveled his gaze towards Obi-wan to see if he was searching. Thankfully, he was - but not as intently as Mace would have liked.

Just as he opened his mouth to point out that fact, Obi-wan let out a triumphant cry, "There it is!"

Frowning, Mace followed his finger and realized he was right. He sat back in his chair as Obi-wan entered the coordinates and the ship sprang to life.

Watching the stars begin to race by the window, he caught sight of a dim ship as it floated in nothingness, obviously broken down. Immediately, he recognized it as belonging to Anakin and Padme. Reaching out through the Force, he sensed that Anakin almost had the repairs completed and they would be racing again in moments.

Putting some pressure on the throttle, he smiled as he felt the ship lunge forward, speeding for Ginper.

**GINPER - THREE HOURS LATER**

Reluctantly, Anakin left the warmth of their ship and joined Padme on the cold planet, pulling his cloak tighter around him. Looking around at the other ships, he realized the engine malfunction has caused them to drop to the bottom of the pack. With a renewed sense of determination, he quickened his pace as he saw the hologram come into view.

"You've reached a divergence," the voiceover stated cheerfully. "You must choose your path - Ride or Glide. In Ride, teams will take a snowcraft through an unmarked trail to Lake Icesier. The snowcraft is easy to use, but teams may get lost and fall behind. In Glide, teams will don a pair of iceblades and follow a well marked path to the Lake. The trail will be easy to follow, but maneuvering on iceblades could get tricky."

Sensing Padme's preference – _Iceblades_ - he followed her to the small outbuilding, skidding to a stop on the slick surface. Seeing several pairs scattered on the floor, they stepped into the contraptions, clicking the lock closed where it stretched across the top of their boots. Tentatively, they started out across the marked trail, holding onto each other as Artoo rolled along behind them. After a few moments, Padme discovered why it was called "glide" as she pushed off with one foot and then the other and felt her movements smooth out. Anakin quickly mastered the technique and soon they were going at a fairly high rate of speed, only wobbling occasionally.

Hearing voices up ahead, Anakin recognized them immediately as belonging to the two Jedi Masters. Reaching out for Padme's hand, he pulled her tight to him and grinned as the men came into view, their camera droid hovering behind them noiselessly. Sensing his former Padawan's presence, Obi-wan turned and widened his eyes as he saw the pair careening towards him. "Ferrrrooooooooo!" Artoo shrieked.

"Look out!" Anakin cried, a little too late as he smacked into his Master. The sudden motion sent Padme spinning and her arms flailed helplessly as she glided by Master Windu, missing his face by inches. Finally, she gave up and simply sat down.

_Bad idea!_ she realized, as Obi-wan and Anakin tumbled into her and collapsed in a heap.

"Liri! Are you okay?" Obi-wan said finally, as the commotion died down.

"Mmphff," was all he heard. Anakin must have understood because he muttered a quick "sorry" before jumping to his feet, only to fall down again as his feet went out from under him. His face was bright red as he looked up to see Mace extending a hand towards him, looking mildly annoyed. Moments later, the foursome struggled onto Lake Icesier - VERY happy to see the next clue shimmering in the distance.

But that joy was quickly diminished as they saw the other contestants completing what was obviously the next challenge.

All Padme could do was turn to Anakin with a sweet smile and say, "You're doing this one."


	5. A Cool Dip

**Author's Note**: _Sorry to desert you over the weekend – hope this chapter makes up for it! A big welcome to Rachel791 and Eriks leadinglady – so happy you found the sequel. And to meandmysharpie, HellishRedDevil, Hopeless4Life and Niraha Skywalker – thanks for sticking with me! Now, on with the chapter!_

_00000_

With a resigned grimace, the group headed for the hologram trying not to dwell on the other contestants. Quickly, they stepped out of the iceblades, listening intently as the hologram's voiceover began to speak.

"Welcome to Lake Icesier. You have reached a Blockade - a task only one person can perform. Now, who likes taking a nice, cool drink?"

With a sigh, Anakin and Mace stepped forward, regarding the shimmering image before them with a bit of hesitation. Sensing the choice had been made, the hologram began to issue the instructions.

"Contestants will be competing in a Ginper swim meet - a popular sport of endurance and bravery. First, the selected team member must make their way into the hut marked with their name. In there, they will find an insulated body suit, designed specifically for the planet's wintry environment." The image changed to show a full-length body suit, lightly quilted for warmth. After a momentary pause, the voiceover continued, "Once the contestants have donned the suit, they must make their way to an available ice lane, easily identified by the holes in the ice at the start and finish line. Once the lane has been selected, contestants must enter the water and swim under the ice until they reach the far end. This task must be completed in twenty seconds - the typical qualifying time for a Ginper champion."

With a look of horror, Mace and Anakin noted the large distance between the two holes. Out of the corner of their eyes, they could see several contestants making their way back to the starting line, an air of dejection spreading through the air. Biting back an oath, they turned and headed for the huts as Padme and Obi-wan settled in to wait.

Moments later, Padme pressed her lips together to keep the laughter from springing forth. There was her husband, dressed in a bright blue body suit, its stiffness making his movements awkward. Even funnier, he was trying to run to keep his slim lead over Master Windu, who didn't appear too pleased at her husband's antics. Obi-wan made a sound like a cough, but Padme suspected he too was trying to hold his amusement at bay.

She noted that Anakin and Mace took the lanes closest to each other, the better to keep tabs on each other's performance. Hearing the chime that indicated the start of the race, they dove into the water, moving under the ice slowly, their progress hampered by the water's temperature despite the suits they wore. Finally, they popped up on the other side, looking at the judging droid expectantly.

"Twenty-four seconds," it called. "Try again."

Mumbling, they hurried back to the starting area, as Padme shivered in sympathy. After a moment's pause, the chime sounded again and they plunged into the water. This time their movements seemed a little quicker, although they slowed neared the middle as the cold stole the strength from their muscles.

_Suddenly, Padme saw Anakin slow to a stop as Mace continued past him. Slowly, his body rotated until his face was pressed up against the ice, his eyes lifeless and unmoving, his lips parted and blue. Jumping up, she ran to him, pounding and scratching at the ice until her fingers began to bleed. "Anakin! I can't get to you! Help me! I can't- Anakin!" Her screams echoed across the open space. It seemed they would never stop. _

With a gasp, she jerked back to the present which drew a concerned look from Obi-wan. Forcing a bright smile, she returned her eyes to the end of the ice lane, where Anakin and Mace waited for their time scores. For a moment, she simply drank up the sight of him. Alive. Healthy.

"Nineteen and a half seconds!" the droid announced happily.

Pulling themselves out of the icy water, Anakin and Mace headed back to the hut to shed the awkward suits. Padme didn't smile this time - her mind was still haunted by the scene that had burned its way into her brain. Stiffly, she followed Obi-wan to the waiting area where they would receive their next clue.

Moments later, Anakin emerged in his regular clothes, his lips slightly blue from his trips through the water. Unable to hold herself back any longer, she flung her arms around him and held him close.

"You're welcome!" he said, laughing. "You really didn't want to do that one, did you?" Pulling back, he noted the worry in her eyes. Before he could question her about it, Mace came to stand next to them and the hologram sparked to life.

"You have completed the Blockade - congratulations! Now, you must re-board your ships and take yourselves to the Planet Populousi, Sector 19-B. Once you've landed in the docking bay, proceed to the Main Square. Your next clue awaits!"

**POPULOUSI DOCKING BAY - THREE HOURS LATER**

Padme was relieved to see Anakin's cheeks were once more full of color, his lips no longer an eerie blue-_ the color they were in my vision,_ she thought darkly. Shaking her head as if to clear the horrible sight from her memory, she jogged behind Anakin who had evidently spotted the Main Square. Vaguely, she registered the sound of another ship landing - Obi-wan and Mace must have finally caught up with them. Once again, they had gone the wrong way as soon as they exited Ginper's atmosphere. She smiled softly, imagining the argument that must have ensued.

Glancing up, she saw Anakin turning towards her, his hand stretched out in encouragement. She slipped her hand in his and waited for the hologram to start. Artoo beeped quietly behind them.

"You have reached a divergence," it began. "Perform or Deform. In Perform, teams will need to provide some sort of entertainment on the Populousi's main stage. Once you've earned 30 credits in tips, you must give it to the stage manager who will then present you with your next clue. The task is not strenuous, but several teams may be competing at once so it could be difficult to get tips." After a pause, the explanation continued, "In Deform, teams will have to travel to Sector 25-G where they will find a series of decommissioned monuments. Teams will have to trek across a steep course to retrieve a container of acid, which they will then pour on the monument until it disappears. The task is fairly simple, but will require a great deal of physical exertion."

Without hesitation, Padme and Anakin agreed, "Perform." Hurrying across the square, they gathered the red container marked with their names and set it on the stage. Before climbing the stairs, the manager gave them each a corresponding red sash to tie around their waists so the audience would know which container belonged to them. Taking a deep breath, they stepped onto the stage, their hands intertwined.

The three teams that had made it there before them appeared to be acting independently. One appeared to be doing some sort of skit, another was taking turns singing a popular wedding song. Padme wasn't sure exactly what the third team was doing - it only appeared as though they were arguing. "Well?" she whispered.

"Galaxy Waltz," Anakin replied with a smile, bowing deeply. With a grin, she placed a hand on his shoulder and at his waist and laughed delightedly as they began to move. Easily, they skirted around the perimeter of the stage, twirling and spinning, keeping perfect time with the music in their minds. Catching a glance at their cup, Padme saw they had reached 13 credits - almost halfway there.

Easily, Anakin lifted her off the ground, using the momentum to release her into a perfect jump. She grinned, relishing the opportunity to dance with him again. All worries and concerns vanished from her mind as she was once again encircled in his arms, swirling from one side of the stage to another. She caught another peek - 22 credits.

As they started back to the middle of the stage, Padme saw an uncomfortable Obi-wan Kenobi and Mace Windu. They were wearing green sashes around their waists and didn't quite look like they knew what to do with themselves. Sensing their discomfort, Padme whirled away from Anakin and danced towards Obi-wan, her feet following the complex series of steps that the audience immediately remembered as the Zobaa. Over the wild applause, Padme mouthed an idea to the Jedi Master and saw him give her an imperceptible nod.

Meeting back up with Anakin, she sent him a thought -_ Just go with it_- and felt her hair whipping her cheek as he sent her into another series of tight spins.

Suddenly, she felt someone catch her elbow and turn her away from her husband. Pretending to look shocked, she came face to face with a mortified Obi-wan Kenobi. Before they could get far, she found herself being pulled away again - this time by Mace who looked even more uncomfortable than Obi-wan. Seconds later, her progress was halted once again, as she was 'deserted' by the Jedi Masters as they pretended to start a duel, the movements quick and sharp. She didn't need to peek into their minds to hear what they were thinking... _Now this is more like it_! Moving quickly, Anakin came and scooped her up, lifting her high above his head as she extended her arms gracefully, holding the position. 35 credits!

Rushing off the stage, they heard the crowd whistle and applaud. Giving each other a quick kiss, they retrieved the container full of credits and handed it to the manager. Silently, he verified the contents before handing them the clue. Thanking him, they took the envelope outside the main stage where they could concentrate a bit more easily.

Leaning her head on Anakin's shoulder, Padme read along with him. "Climb the stairs to the top of the Eastern hillside. There you will find your transportation to the Second Destination. Hurry! The last team may be eliminated."

Glancing around at the surrounding hillside, Anakin spotted the staircase. "There!" he cried, pointing. Immediately spotting the lengthy series of steps, Artoo released the hovering camera droid and it buzzed beside them quietly.

Feeling a fresh surge of adrenaline rush through her body, Padme sprinted next to Anakin, her braid bouncing against her shoulders. Moving quickly, they climbed the staircase, their breath coming harsh and fast. Hearing a scuffling noise behind them, she realized Obi-wan and Mace had caught up. _Apparently, their 'duel' had been very well received!_ Silently, she begged her legs to go faster and was happy when they seemed to obey.

Moments later, they came to the top of the hillside. With a quick glance around, Padme saw the method of 'transportation' the clue referred to - a giant piece of fabric meant to slide down the endless maze of tubes that stretched out before them. With a bemused grin, she followed Anakin to the nearest blanket, settling down in front of him. Quickly, Anakin wrapped his arm around her before pushing off.

Their laughter reverberated around them as they flew through the narrow passages. The curves were sharp and almost caused them to topple over a few times, but they managed to keep their momentum. With a _whoosh,_ they emerged from the final tunnel and hurried to untangle themselves from the large swatch of fabric.

Up ahead loomed a large palace where the host droid waited patiently steps outside the main entrance. Standing up shakily, Padme heard another _whoosh_ as Obi-wan and Mace emerged from the tunnel, instantly springing to their feet. Grabbing Anakin's hand, she raced alongside him as the Jedi Masters tried to pass. With a final burst of speed, she and Anakin managed to land on the mat inches before their friends.

"Liri and Kaide," the droid intoned. "You are team number three!" After sharing a tight embrace, Anakin and Padme stepped aside to let Obi-wan and Mace step forward.

"Dake and Tarv," the droid continued cheerfully. "You are team number four!"

"We would have beaten them, _Dake,_ if you had listened to me and leaned back," Mace insisted as he stalked off the mat. "We would have been more aerodynamic."

With a frown, Obi-wan retorted, "I thought we were already aerodynamic since _you don't have any_ _hair, Tarv._"

Continuing to grumble, Obi-wan and Mace made their way into the palace. Anakin thought briefly, _"Good thing our light sabers are locked away on the ships." _


	6. Bounce or Pounce

**Author's Note: **_Thanks again for all the wonderful reviews! They really keep me going - I just love hearing from all of you! Hope you enjoy this chapter; please let me know what you think if you have a free moment. _

**POPULOUSI PALACE - TWO HOURS LATER**

Closing her eyes, Padme drew in a deep breath and held it for a few moments, aware of her heartbeat and the soft feel of the plush floor covering. Gradually she let herself fall into a deep meditation, her thoughts running parallel to Anakin's, twisting and turning around their connection. She loved their time together like this - it was as if they could see into each other's very soul.

She sighed as she felt the last of the tension leave her body. Swirls of color danced across her vision and she probed them with her mind as warmth flooded her body. She let herself connect more deeply with Anakin, heard his deep laughter, felt the love that flowed from him in waves. _I love you too..._ She let the feeling course through her body, her mind languid, floating along in utter peace.

With a lazy grace, she reached out for Anakin again but seemed to come up against a wall. She doubled her efforts, her chest tightening as their connection floundered. Suddenly, she felt a crushing pain tear through her head as she cried out in agony. With a start, she opened her eyes and found herself staring at the ceiling, Anakin peering at her in concern.

"Padme! Are you all right?" he asked, easing her into a sitting position. Gingerly, she put a hand to her forehead, but the searing pain had nearly gone. After a moment, she nodded, not trusting her voice to speak. Searching her eyes deeply, he whispered, "I felt it too."

Just then, the door to their room slid open as Obi-wan and Mace stormed in, their eyes scanning every corner for a hidden attacker. Finding none, they relaxed slightly but still remained highly alert.

"Are you two okay?" Mace asked. "Wesensed a disturbance through the Force."

"We're fine," Anakin replied, helping Padme to her feet. "We were in the middle of our meditation exercises when something tried to sever our connection."

"It is as Master Yoda suspected," Obi-wan mused, shooting a sidelong glance at Mace. "Their Force Bond is being targeted. Perhaps the weapon is becoming operational sooner than we realized."

"Perhaps. In the meantime, you must remain guarded, Anakin," Mace instructed firmly. "Practice strengthening your mind shields. We will reach Plauu in a few more days. You must hold the attacker at bay until then. It is imperative."

"Yes, Master," Anakin replied, looking determined. With a small shiver, Padme felt the icy finger of fear trail down her spine.

**OUTSIDE POPULOUSI PALACE - NEXT DAY**

Padme forced her hands to her sides, full of nervous energy as the hologram finally blinked to life. The voiceover quickly greeted them, "Welcome to the third leg of Racing Through the Stars. You must now pilot your ship to Planet Wrespin, Sector 14-P where you will receive your next clue." As the words trailed away, the hologram simply went blank, not bothering to shut itself down since Obi-wan and Mace would be receiving the same clue in a minute's time.

Moving quickly, she followed Anakin to the ship and soon they were exiting the atmosphere, once again studying the shimmering starmap before them. They both noticed the wayward planet at the same time, shouting "There!" Laughing at their simultaneous outburst, Anakin punched in the coordinates and watched as the stars started to rush by, beginning to blur as their speed increased.

"Looks like we'll be there in about two hours," Padme calculated. Turning in her seat, she studied the control panel, noting Obi-wan and Mace following a close distance behind them. With a grim smile, she imagined the Jedi Masters were not happy about that fact. Artoo beeped quietly as if he were in agreement.

**PLANET WRESPIN, SECTOR 14-P**

Anakin set the ship down in an open area and followed Padme down the ramp, the hovering camera droid moving along silently. Spotting the hologram as well as two other teams, he and Padme began to run across the planet's spongy surface, the texture causing their steps to be choppy and abrupt. "This feels weird!" Padme cried. With another laugh at their clumsy running style, Anakin readily agreed.

Finally, they reached the hologram and the voiceover quickly began issuing instructions: "You have reached a divergence. Please choose your path - Bounce or Pounce. In Bounce, teams will enter a nearby clearing where they will have to use the planet's unique surface to help them reach a series of individual targets." The hologram changed to show several yellow cubes hanging from a thin cord. "Once teams have collected three targets, they will receive the next clue. The task is fairly straightforward, but figuring out a way to get to the targets may take some time."

Immediately, the picture changed to show an entryway covered in flowers. "In Pounce, teams will travel a few sectors East to the Wrespin botanical gardens. Upon arrival, they will proceed to the main display where the Buryee Plant resides, its flowers only popping up through the ground for seconds at a time." The image changed to show a team scrambling from hole to hole, trying to grasp the radiant flowers as they popped out of the ground before vanishing again. "Teams will need to present a flower to the Director before they will receive their next clue. The objective may be simple, but catching a Buryee bloom could take awhile."

"What do you think?" Anakin asked as he turned to Padme. Looking over her shoulder, he saw Obi-wan and Mace sprinting towards them.

"I don't know - they both sound pretty difficult," Padme admitted. "But I'm leaning towards Bounce."

"Me too," he agreed quickly and relayed their decision to the hologram. With a nod towards the Jedi Masters, he grabbed Padme's hand and they started towards the marked clearing. As they entered, they looked up and saw the cubes suspended high above them. Another team bounced up and down on the squishy surface, the height of their jumps increasing with every bounce, but still falling far short of the targets.

Without hesitation, Padme gave a cry of excitement and began to jump, tendrils of hair falling free of the clip she had fastened at the nape of her neck. Pushing the strands behind her ears, she bounced towards Anakin… and collided with him in mid-air.

"Okay, that didn't go as I had planned," she admitted wryly.

Scrambling back to their feet, they started over, their jumps gradually getting out of sync with each other until Anakin accidentally sent Padme hurtling across the clearing. With a sound that can only be described as an _"oof,"_ she landed on her knees, shooting Anakin a bit of a glare as she returned to his side. In her head, she could hear his fervent apology and couldn't help but smile as she responded silently, _It's all right, I'm okay..._

After taking a moment to catch her breath, she began to jump again, her feet hitting the ground mere seconds after Anakin's. After a few moments, she realized they were going higher than they had in their previous tries. It seemed the joint impact was forcing them further into the air. Finally, Padme stretched with all her might and gave a cry of victory, as she returned to the ground with a target clenched tightly in her fist. Several moments later, they happily exited the other side of the clearing with three targets between them.

The hologram flickered on as they set the three cubes in the designated bin. After verifying the correct weight, the voiceover said, "Take one of the marked speeders South until you reach the Great Tower. At its base, you will receive your next clue."

Climbing onboard a black speeder, they took a moment to orient themselves. Satisfied they were heading in the right direction, Padme settled her head on Anakin's warm back, whispering, "I hope Obi-wan and Mace are doing okay."

**WRESPIN BOTANICAL GARDENS - SAME TIME**

"Dake, grab the flower!" Mace instructed, the frustration evident in his tone.

"I'm trying!" Obi-wan replied as he crawled along the ground. "Besides, why don't you worry about your area and leave me to mine."

With a derisive snort, Mace scanned the ground trying to guess where the next flower might pop up. Spotting one off to the side, he dove for it, coming up with a handful of dirt. Springing back to his feet, he prowled the area one more time before stopping to mop the sweat from his face.

"Tarv!" Obi-wan called quietly. "_Don't move._"

Freezing in place, Mace stretched out with the Force, trying to sense danger but the area seemed clear. Suddenly, Obi-wan leapt straight at him, scrambling around his feet. Finally, the commotion subsided as the young Jedi Master jumped up, clutching a bright flower in his hands with a triumphant, "Got it!"

With a scowl, Mace followed him to the Director where their next clue was waiting.

**THE GREAT TOWER - EARLY EVENING**

Racing across the field, Anakin and Padme immediately spotted the imposing tower, its dark form curving and spiraling towards the sky. The light glinted off the hologram and they headed towards it, catching another team fast approaching. Quickly, they recognized the figures.

"Dake! Tarv! Where have you been?" Anakin asked as they stepped off the speeder.

"Wrestling flowers," Obi-wan replied sarcastically.

Before Anakin could question him further, the hologram blinked on and the voiceover began to speak. "You have reached a Blockade - a task only one person can perform. Now, who likes puzzling over puzzles?"

Without missing a beat, Obi-wan and Padme stepped forward and the hologram continued explaining the task: "The selected team members must make their way to the top of the Great Tower. Once you've reached the highest point, proceed to the southern corner where you will encounter the Maze of No Return. Navigate it successfully and you will receive your next clue."

After squeezing Anakin's hand tightly, Padme followed Obi-wan into the tower and onto the lift, a feeling of foreboding washing over her heart. As the lift came to a stop, she opened her eyes to find Obi-wan giving her a smile of encouragement before he rushed into the maze and disappeared from view. Feeling buoyed by his faith in her, she took a deep breath and plunged ahead.

Almost immediately she ran into a dead end. Turning around, she tried another way. This time, she got a bit farther, but quickly came to a second impasse and had to try different direction. Passage after passage, she scrambled through, continually meeting dead ends. _Gradually, she became aware of the darkness that seemed to be permeating the maze, slithering across the ground and choking the air from her lungs. Leaning against a pillar, she heard Anakin calling her name, but when she tried to respond, a cold, rotten hand clamped over her mouth. _

_Struggling, she tried to free herself, but the hand only pressed down harder as the darkness started to curl itself around her body. She could hear Anakin's cries get more and more urgent until they eventually started to fade away. She could feel his despair in her heart as he realized she had deserted him. No! she tried to scream. I'm here! Anakin, I can't get to you!_

With a start, she woke as if from a dream and stumbled through the maze's exit without a clue as to how she had gotten there.


	7. A Day at the Beach

**Author's Note**: _Hello again! It's a good thing I have another chapter ready today – I think my dog would be afraid of an Ewok army! Hee! Hope you all enjoy the next chapter! And thank you so much for the wonderful reviews! I have the most wonderful readers in the Galaxy! Truly!_

_**00000**_

Blindly, she entered the lift as she tried to calm her breathing which was tearing through her lungs at a ragged pace. As she began to feel the remaining cobwebs drift from her mind, she realized she was clutching the next clue in her fist. _How did I get this?_ She had no recollection of picking it up or of anyone handing it to her. Turning to the silent camera droid hovering next to her, she accessed its main control panel and punched in a code to activate the playback option. A small screen slid out and she saw her journey begin to play out on the monitor.

With a growing sense of apprehension, she watched herself enter the maze and sprint from tunnel to tunnel, eventually losing her way altogether. Rounding a corner, she staggered almost imperceptibly as a faraway look fell over her eyes. Moving in a trance, she seemed to float through the maze as she navigated it with ease, only making a couple incorrect turns. A stack of clues could be seen beside the final exit and her fingers easily plucked one from the bin, her eyes never dropping the fixed stare they had adapted. She knew the exact second she returned to full awareness as the fog seemed to lift from her face and her head shook slightly.

Leaning heavily against the wall, she closed the droid's control panel and instructed the lift to return to the ground level. Her thoughts were swirling through her mind, crashing into each other as they fought to come to the forefront. _What did it mean? Was Anakin in danger? Did he really think she was going to abandon him? What would make him think that?_

She pushed the fear and doubt away, biting her lip as her cheeks flushed slightly with determination. _No! Anakin would never think that of her. Whatever -or - whoever was trying to break their Force Bond - well, the plan was going to fail plain and simple. These visions were nothing more than cheap mind tricks. _

Feeling much better, she looked up as the doors opened with a hiss and she saw Anakin waiting for her, his face awash with relief. Recalling his anguished voice in the vision, she hurried towards him and hugged him a bit longer than usual. As they released each other, he held her at arm's length, studying her intently. Quietly, he asked, "Are you okay?" She quickly reassured him as she promised, "I'll tell you more later." After another inquisitive glance, he nodded and she tore the clue open as they began to read:

"Congratulations! You've completed the Blockade! Teams must now board their speeders and follow the marked path to the Hovget Gorge. Once there, you must use the pair of zip lines to cross to the middle of the river. At the appropriate point, the mechanism will release automatically and send you into the river below. Never fear, the current will carry you to your next clue."

Moving awkwardly across the spongy surface, they reached their speeder and raced off, following the well lit path. As the camera droid backed off to film some scenery, Padme quietly murmured, "How far ahead are Obi-wan and Mace?" She braced herself for his answer, recalling her lengthy trip through the maze. Her eyebrows lifted in shock when Anakin replied, "Not far - they had just disappeared over the horizon when you returned."

Seeing the well-lit area ahead of them, Anakin slowed the speeder and parked it next to two others. They heard a scream as the first team fell from the zip line and plunged into the water below. Obi-wan and Mace stood side-by-side facing the gorge, their posture expressing their impatience as they waited for their cue. Reaching up, Mace tightened the red scrap of fabric that covered his head and narrowed his eyes, anxious to get started.

"Hello!" Anakin called with a wave of his hand. As they turned their heads to reply, a loud buzz sounded, signaling their impending departure. With a screech, the rollers jerked forward, taking the startled Jedi Masters with them. As they headed for the middle of the river, the speed increased rapidly until the clip released, sending the men tumbling end-over-end to the water below. With an angry shout, they splashed into the raging river and their safety belts inflated, carrying them away swiftly.

Padme immediately moved into place, fastening her safety belt and engaging the lock on the harness. She glanced over and watched as Anakin did the same, the mechanism snapping into place securely. Almost immediately, the buzz sounded and she felt herself being jerked off her feet and was sent sailing through the air, the wind whipping past her face sharply. As she saw the end of the zip line draw closer, she could feel the lock release and shrieked softly as she felt herself tumbling through the air.

She felt the slap of the warm water as she hit feet first and started to sink. Immediately, the safety belt kicked in and inflated fully, sending her rocketing upwards. She bobbed up, sucking in a deep breath of air as soon as she felt her head break the surface. Looking around frantically, she spotted Anakin a few yards away and drew parallel with him, grasping his outstretched hand. Drifting downriver, they scanned the surrounding area as they searched for the next clue. Finally, they spotted a series of brilliant lights up ahead and began to make their way to the side of the river. As they worked their way closer, they could make out the large hologram as it rotated slowly and watched as Obi-wan and Mace hurried towards it.

Feeling her feet finally touch the squishy ground, Padme struggled to shore, shedding her safety belt along the way. She ran beside Anakin as they headed towards the smaller hologram which was blinking discreetly below its larger mate. Coming up behind Obi-wan and Mace, she stifled the impulse to giggle hysterically as she saw the water had caused most of the dye to leech out of Master Windu's head covering, leaving it a very delicate pink. As Anakin heard the strangled noises she was making, he followed her eyes to the source of her enjoyment. Immediately, he turned a bright shade of red as he too struggled to keep his face impassive.

Obi-wan, on the other hand, made no attempt to hide his amusement as the clue sprang to life. "Welcome to the shores of the Hovget Gorge. Here you will participate in a well known Wrespin tradition - Replica Building. In this challenge, teams must build a small replica of a personal dwelling using sand, water and a few tools. You will be graded by an official judge and must receive a mark higher than "5" to receive your next clue. Now, proceed to the space marked with your name and begin!"

Turning quickly, Padme and Anakin ran to the space marked "Liri and Kaide." Vaguely, Padme noted that "Dake and Tarv" were supposed to be situated in the space next to them although the men in question were currently wandering in the wrong direction. Finally, the Jedi Masters spotted their space and headed over reluctantly. Returning her attention to the task at hand, she pawed through the sand to create a flat, firm surface for their 'dwelling.'

"We used to build sand forms all the time when I was younger. First we need water," she explained softly and Anakin hurried to the river with the supplied bucket. When he returned, she quickly instructed him to stack the wet sand while repeatedly pushing it down to get it as compact as possible. They worked side-by-side, their expressions locked in deep concentration. When they had finally amassed a fairly tall structure, Padme began to carve away the surface and Anakin smiled as he recognized the dwelling - the Lake Retreat. Catching on to her intentions, he began to work on the other side.

Meanwhile, Obi-wan and Mace were trying to keep their structure upright. Their sand was not packed very tightly and as a result, half of their structure was threatening to fall away. Obi-wan gave the cracking structure a tiny trickle of water, hoping it would be enough to cement the form at least temporarily. With a growl, Mace watched as the turret he had been working on began to crumble. Shoring it up as best he could, he continued to carve the surface, hoping it would hold.

"Done!" Padme called and watched nervously as the short, blue creature ambled over to view their creation. He scrutinized it from all sides, taking in the intricate detail and solid construction. "Ten!" he exclaimed, handing over the next clue. Thanking him profusely, Anakin and Padme read the clue silently:

"You have successfully completed the final challenge of this leg of the race. Proceed across the swinging bridge to the temporary encampment, the Race's third destination. Hurry! The last team may be eliminated."

Slamming the clue shut, they hurried away from the beach just as Obi-wan called, "Done!" Glancing over their shoulder, they paused for a moment to watch the judge examine the castle before giving it a "reluctant 6." With a sheepish grin, Obi-wan took the clue just as the structure crumbled. Pretending not to notice, the Jedi Masters hurried away as Mace made a point to step on the remaining half of the building, crushing it instantly.

Laughing quietly, Padme and Anakin resumed their trek across the shaky bridge, catching sight of the host droid waiting at the other end. Holding each other's hands, they stepped on the mat as the droid cried, "Welcome Liri and Kaide! You are team number two!" Stepping aside, they watched as Obi-wan and Mace approached and declared team number three.

With a frustrated look, Mace reached up and ran his hands over head, his fingers coming to rest on the pink fabric. Gripping the material, he pulled it off and his eyes widened as he took in the color. Silently, he stomped off towards the tents.

**WRESPIN ENCAMPMENT - TWO HOURS LATER**

"The next thing I knew, I was standing at the maze's exit," Padme explained, her voice hushed. Her eyes took in the concerned faces of the Jedi Masters and came to rest on Anakin. He looked horrified and angry at the thought of someone invading her mind. She reached out and brushed a soft hand over his cheek and he kissed her palm in response, but the tension in his frame remained.

"It is extremely important you continue utilizing your mind shields," Mace instructed with a firm look at Anakin.

"Master, I am trying," Anakin insisted. "I am. I just don't understand - why am I not able to sense these visions?"

"We don't know," Mace admitted, a fresh trace of worry in his voice. "And that's what makes it so troublesome. Whatever this is, it is focused solely on the Senator." As he spoke, the Jedi Master faced her and she eyed him warily, certain she wasn't going to like what was coming next.

She was right.

"Milady, you _must_ find a way to stop these visions once they start. Shut them out. Expel this unwelcome visitor from your mind," he insisted fervently. He paused before continuing gravely, "If you don't, I'm afraid there may come a time where you won't be able to. Your mind will become trapped. Forever."


	8. Let Them Eat Cake

**Author's Note – **_Hello dear readers! Here is another chapter – hope you enjoy! I have to ask you to please bear with me for the next few days – my parents are moving this weekend and I'm going to be helping them unpack. As a result, my regular schedule of updating will be disrupted until Monday. However, I do have another chapter in the works and I'm trying to post it before I head out! Wish me luck!_

**OUTSIDE WRESPIN ENCAMPMENT - NEXT DAY**

Padme stifled a yawn as she waited for the hologram image to spark to life. Plagued by worries of another vision, she hadn't slept a wink. Instead, she spent the night focusing all her energies into keeping her senses fully alert, only relaxing enough to enter into a guarded meditation. Anakin had slept, but it wasn't a fulfilling sleep as he continually woke to check on her. Padme pretended to be dozing whenever he stirred, not wanting to add to his stress. _I can sleep when this nightmare is over,_ she thought resolutely.

As her worries were once again starting to dominate, she was grateful when the hologram appeared and the voiceover began to speak: "Teams must now travel to the Planet Blarnum. Navigate the tricky atmosphere carefully and then put the ship down in Sector 33-RE. Your next clue is waiting for you!" And with those short instructions, the image blinked off.

Jogging awkwardly across the spongy ground once more, Padme was glad to feel the sure footing of their ship's ramp under her. Punching in the launch preparation code, she saw Mace and Obi-wan heading for their ship before the door slid shut and blocked them from view. As she headed for the front of the ship, she saw Artoo strapped in for take-off and he beeped at her happily.

"Yes, I missed you too, Artoo," she assured him warmly. "You were right to send the hover droid on that last leg. You wouldn't have made it far on that bouncy planet." With another whistle, Artoo resumed his interactions with the computer and Padme patted his domed head as she passed.

**PLANET BLARNUM - FOUR HOURS LATER**

Padme woke with a start as she felt the ship pitch sharply. Sitting up in her chair, she looked over to see Anakin at the controls, his face shadowed with concentration. Turning back, she finally looked out the windshield and saw the massive rocks swirling through the air. "I guess that's why the clue said it was tricky, huh?" she said wryly.

With a distracted smile, Anakin continued to navigate the ship through the dangerous area. The ship had evasive maneuvering capabilities but Padme knew Anakin didn't trust the computer as much as his own piloting skills. He was widely regarded as one of the best in the Galaxy so she didn't argue with his choice whatsoever.

Finally, they left the asteroids behind and entered regular airspace. Flying low over the barren landscape, the controls began to chime as they neared the designated Sector. Padme was out of her seat before the ship's landing gear touched down, Anakin seconds behind her. Jogging across the crunchy soil, they slid to a stop in front of the hologram and watched as Obi-wan and Mace guided their ship to the ground. They turned back to the hologram as the voiceover began to speak:

"You have reached a divergence and must choose your path. In Lead, a team member must ride a native Blarnumian creature called a Bogurt, while their partner guides them through a marked course. The task is fairly straightforward, but may take some time if a team is saddled with a reluctant Bogurt. In Mead, teams will travel to the Villa Tavern where they will have to sell 2 crates worth of Blarnum Ale before they receive their next clue. The task should go quickly, but finding the Tavern make take awhile."

"Mead!" Anakin immediately called, striding for the ship. Shaking her head in amusement, Padme grabbed a map from the bin and hurried behind him. As they passed, she smiled at the Jedi Masters, their warning from the night before echoing through her mind once again.

**VILLA TAVERN - THIRTY MINUTES LATER**

"Okay, the clue was right - it was a bit hard to find," Anakin admitted, running a hand through his hair. He pushed open the door to the tavern and held it open for Padme to enter. Artoo took advantage of the courtesy and scooted in behind her.

Padme blinked a few times, letting her eyes adjust to the darkness as she became aware that a hush had fallen over the crowd. Forcing a smile, she headed for the main counter where she had spotted the crates of ale. Unpacking them quickly, she noted there were 48 bottles in total. Anakin grabbed a few of them and headed for the nearby tables.

"Would you like another bottle of ale?" he asked politely. The patrons ignored him and continued talking. Glancing around to see if anyone was looking, he once again offered the ale but this time he waved his hand slightly. Eagerly, they all dug through their pockets for some credits and took the bottles hastily.

Returning to the bar, he picked up another group of bottles and caught Padme hurrying from table to table. He noticed she had taken her hair down and it was spilling over her back in long, curly waves. Frowning slightly as the male customers cooed at her, he returned to the task.

Several minutes later, they had completed the challenge and left the tavern with the clue in hand. Out of the corner of her mouth, Padme quietly hissed, "Were you using Jedi mind tricks? I could see your hand moving..." Smoothly, he deflected, "Did you take your hair down? I thought you had it up earlier?" Defensively, Padme replied, "Well, I had to do something. They weren't buying _anything! _Besides, that doesn't really count-"

Before she could continue, Anakin opened the piece of parchment and began to read the clue aloud, "Board your ship and continue to Sector 40-PA. Once you've landed, teams will partake in a mid-day snack."

"Wonderful," Anakin said cheerfully. "I'm famished!" Quirking a brow at her, he headed into the ship, a bemused Padme following in his wake.

**SECTOR 33-RE, SAME TIME**

"Tarv, perhaps the other option might be a bit more-" Obi-wan's sentence was cut off by Mace's sharp reply.

"No, Dake - this is clearly the better choice. Now, you must be seated in the saddle, so go ahead - climb on up."

An air of resignation settling around him, Obi-wan faced the strange creature and eyed it suspiciously. It was purple in color, its body squat and fat, six beefy legs barely tall enough to keep its underbelly from dragging on the ground. Its neck was covered in patchy dark fur, the shaggy head squashed flat, almost like it had run into a wall repeatedly. Obi-wan sent up a fervent hope that the creature was as gentle as he had been told or else he had a feeling he and Mace were going to look quite flat themselves when this was over. Easing one leg over the creature, he settled into the squishy cushion and watched as Mace began to tug on the lead rope.

The Bogurt didn't move. In fact, it appeared to go to sleep.

"Well, we're making excellent time!" Obi-wan exclaimed, the sarcasm permeating his words. Threepio merely looked horrified as he continued to film the entire debacle. With a glare, Mace began to tug a bit harder, but the creature merely dug in its feet and continued to doze. Biting off an oath, Mace looked hesitantly to Obi-wan and then back to the animal. Finally, he crept up to it and began speaking to it in hushed tones. Finally, the creature lumbered to its feet and began to move.

After a few more agonizing stops and starts they finally reached the destination. In a blur, Obi-wan leapt off the Bogurt before it could lower itself down to the resting position. Reading the next clue, they sprinted back to the ship, Threepio hurrying as best he could.

**SECTOR 40-PA, FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER**

Anakin and Padme walked down their ship's ramp to find several tables covered with the finest linen. Sparkling serving utensils were laid in front of every chair, the plates clean and fresh. They noticed one other team had also arrived and were already sitting down. Padme and Anakin did the same.

Immediately, a pair of serving droids whirled up to them, a three-tiered cake balanced precariously on a crystal tray. The dessert was set between them as the droid explained, "This is a Blarnum Peace Cake. You must finish it before you can receive your next clue."

"What? How can we possibly-" Padme began, but the droid was already rolling away. She followed it with her eyes until it disappeared from view, finally turning back to Anakin to find him filling up his plate.

"Cheers!" Anakin called, smiling widely. He offered her a large slice of cake which she took reluctantly before bursting out with laughter.

**SHIP OF DAKE AND TARV, TWENTY MINUTES LATER**

"Sector 40-PA - it's right there," Obi-wan said, gripping the controls tightly. Catching sight of the fancy tables below he wondered, "What do they have in store for us _now?"_

Moments later, he followed Mace to the table next to Anakin and Padme. He noted with some concern that Padme looked a little green around the edges while Anakin seemed to be quite, well - hyper.

"Hi there! Welcome!" he chirped. "Have a seat! Where have you been? Oh, you must have done "lead" instead of "mead," which is the one we did. It was pretty easy, once you found the blasted Tavern. That was no easy feat, trust me. What did the Bogurts look like? I think I read that they are pretty stubborn - that's why I thought we should do the mead-"

Putting her chin in her hand, Padme merely shook her head at Obi-wan and Mace. Anakin had devoured almost half the cake already and the energetic effects of the sweetener were showing clearly in his behavior. He was practically running in place as he scooped up another piece of the dessert and chewed happily. Smiling softly at her husband's ramblings, she ate another bite of cake, swallowing as quickly as she could.

**ONE HOUR LATER**

Obi-wan and Mace slumped against the wall as they waited for their turn with the droid medic. Padme wondered if they looked half as bad as she felt. Even Anakin was looking ill, his monologue finally muted. Padme recalled the way the Jedi Masters had also succumbed to the effects of the sweetener, their threads of conversation fast paced, yet disjointed. She had found it very amusing. Until she'd eaten that last piece of cake. _Ughhhh..._ Just thinking about it made her insides want to turn inside out.

"Miss Liri?" the droid called. She stepped forward slowly and resisted the urge to hug him, knowing he carried the medication that would send her on the road to recovery.

"Open your mouth," the metallic voice instructed. She did so and gagged as a spray was squirted in her mouth, the taste shockingly bitter. But the unpleasantness quickly subsided as she realized her stomach felt better almost immediately. Her steps noticeably lighter, she exited the room and kissed Anakin's cheek on her way by. His only response was a groan.

Taking a seat outside the makeshift clinic, she settled back and her gaze went straight to the tables, still littered with remnants of cake. Feeling her stomach roll at the memory, she closed her eyes and relaxed, hoping the treatment was working as well on Anakin. She could picture the look on his face when he got a taste of the medicine.

_The tiny droplets of liquid settled on his tongue, causing his face to spasm at the taste. After a moment, he began to smile before his expression changed to one of shock. His hands flew to his mouth as he doubled over. She screamed as blood began to pour from the spaces between his fingers. She ran forward to try to help, but a barrier slid between them. She pounded on the clear surface, kicking and punching as she tried to get through. "I can't get to you, Anakin! Help! Please!"_

The feel of a hand on her arm jerked her from the vision. She looked up into the worried eyes of her husband as he stared down at her. Jumping up, she threw her arms around him and whispered brokenly, _"Who is doing this to me?"_

Anakin could only stroke her back, helpless.


	9. Overboard

**Author's Note: **_Well, I managed to finish up one last chapter before I head out for the weekend. I tried to leave it on a positive note you wouldn't feel like I left you hanging. Thanks for all the reviews of the last chapter. You guys are the best! Seriously - you keep me inspired! I'll be back with more on Monday!_

**SHIP OF LIRI AND KAIDE - THIRTY MINUTES LATER**

Anakin looked at Padme worriedly. She hadn't spoken much since they received their next clue, choosing to stare out the side window as she watched the Blarnum landscape race by in a blur. Occasionally, her face would crinkle up as if she was going to cry, but then her features would relax and she would seem to be at peace. He had tried to suggest that they drop out of the Race, but that had met with a resounding "NO!" so he hadn't asked again. He could feel her clinging to their Force Bond and he sent another wave of love towards her, which only caused her face to crinkle up again.

His attention was brought back to the control panel as it began to emit a series of beeps that indicated they had reached their next challenge which was waiting for them below. Automatically, he activated the landing sequence and felt the ship shudder slightly as the landing gear engaged. With a quiet _thump,_ the ship came to a stop on the planet's surface. Anakin slowly unbuckled his harness and reached for Padme, his fingers gentle on her shoulder.

Fully expecting a face streaked with tears, he was staggered when she fixed him with an earnest gaze and said, "Okay, are you ready? Let's go!" and raced from the cabin.

_Force,_ how he loved her.

By the time he made it down the ramp, his wife was waiting impatiently at the hologram, Obi-wan and Mace already by her side. Artoo and Threepio had once again dispatched the hovering camera droids and they took in the scene from above. He quickened his steps and joined the group seconds later, just as the image shimmered into view. The voiceover instructed: "You have reached a Blockade, a task only one team member may perform. Now, who's a good shot?" Knowing it was their turn, Anakin and Mace step forward.

"Contestants must take a Blarnumian spear and stand at the marked line. Across the field is a set of targets - actual stuffed droid replicas. The spear must make contact with a target before you'll receive your next clue."

Anakin followed Mace to the metal bin where the spears were stored. He picked one up, surprised at the heavy weight. _This is not going to be easy,_ he thought.

Striding across the field, he and Mace stood next to each other as they sized up the droids which were quite a distance away. With a grunt, Mace took a few hops and then released his spear, frowning as it sank into the ground several feet shy of the intended target. Anakin grinned only to find himself scowling a few seconds later as his spear also came to rest short of the replica. The retrival droids quickly went to work, returning their spears in seconds.

And that's how it went. Miss! _Frown. _Miss! _Growl. _Miss! _Snarl._ Miss! _Glare._

Miss!

Miss!

Miss!

Several teams caught up and joined the competition, moaning and groaning as they too tried to complete the task. Finally, Mace let out a triumphant cry as his spear embedded itself in the midsection of the target. With a pointed smirk at Anakin, he stepped back, waiting for Anakin to give it another try.

Anakin felt his eyes darken with concentration, knowing he couldn't use the Force to aid himself. He took one step, and then another before heaving the spear with all his might. He watched with grim satisfaction as the spear pierced the replica, right in between its sightless eyes. Grinning, he turned to face Mace, expecting to see the Jedi Master glowering at him with distrust. Instead, he found him returning his smile and watched as it turned into a deep, throaty laugh. Side-by-side, they returned to their partners, an unspoken peace settled between them.

Padme and Obi-wan congratulated them as they approached, waiting until they were near before opening the next clue. Reading silently, they saw: _Well done! You have completed the Blockade, the final challenge of this leg of the race. Take the designated air carriage and follow the marked path to the Race's fourth destination. Hurry! The last team may be eliminated!" _

The camaraderie suddenly broken as they realized the end of the leg was almost near, the two teams scrambled for their transportation. Entering the strange looking contraption, Anakin fiddled with the controls before the small engine finally fired up. Immediately, the fabric canopy above them inflated and they floated several stories off the ground. Pushing the throttle forward, he waited for the carriage to move - which it did, but very slowly. They were merely floating, trailing along at a slow pace as they wound their way through the marked course. Anakin found Obi-wan and Mace puttering along slightly ahead of them, looking just as frustrated at the sluggish turn the Race had taken.

Padme, on the other hand, found it utterly delightful. She scanned the horizon, taking in the shapes and sizes of the landmasses. She watched the way the sky sparked as tiny asteroids were burned up as they entered the atmosphere. Although the colors of Blarnum weren't too varied, she still found it beautiful. In her mind, every planet was breathtaking in its own way.

Turning to Anakin, she felt the invisible grip of fear suddenly clench her heart. _The carriage lurched, unseating Anakin from his place at the controls. Instinctively, he grabbed a handhold on the side door, almost disappearing from view. Looking up at her, his eyes pleaded for her to help him. But as she tried to dive towards him, ropes came out of nowhere, tethering her to her seat. With one last desperate look, Anakin let go and the ties holding her evaporated. Without a second though, Padme jumped after him-_

And snapped back to awareness as Anakin grabbed her ankle. "Padme!" Anakin cried. She gasped, disoriented, as the blood rushed to her head and stars filled her vision. Blinking them away, she opened her eyes and saw the ground below. _Far below._ Stifling a yelp of fear she looked back up at Anakin who was trying to pull her back into the carriage, but to no avail. Obi-wan and Mace were frantically trying to make their way towards them, but the slow vehicle was hampering their progress.

"I need your hand," he instructed. Taking a deep breath, she jerked herself forward and almost cried in relief as she felt Anakin's hand grab hers. Slowly, he pulled her up and she fell into the carriage, her breath ragged with unshed tears. For a moment, they simply laid there as the fear of what could have happened pummeled their minds.

_"What were you thinking?"_ Anakin finally exploded. He didn't meant to yell, but he couldn't seem to help it. He had been so frightened. One second she was there looking like she was simply absorbing the scenery, the next she was trying to dive overboard. And she had almost succeeded. _If it hadn't been for his Jedi reflexes... _The thought paralyzed him and he pulled her close again.

"It was... a vision," she explained haltingly.

Anakin closed his eyes as another wave of fear rushed over him. The visions were getting worse. Now they were leading to actions - she was _physically_ responding to them. There was no telling what could happen. _Oh, this is bad. _

There was a moment of quiet as the carriage continued towards the fourth destination. He connected telepathically with Obi-wan, telling him he would explain everything at the destination and felt his Master's acknowledgement. He was anxious to get there - there was much to discuss, to ponder. There had to be something they could do.

_But what? How do you fight an unseen enemy?_

Anakinknew his wife. She had a sharp mind, a beautiful soul and a fascinating streak of stubborness. If something was able to manifest itself in her thoughts that easily, it was powerful. _Incredibly powerful._

Forcing a light tone to his voice, he smoothed the hair off her face and promised, "It will be all right. Don't worry." He felt her nod into his shoulder.

As they felt the carriage begin to descend, Padme seemed to get hold of herself and eased herself out of Anakin's arms. With a watery smile full of determination, she stood up and waved gingerly at Obi-wan and Mace, who seemed very relieved to see her. With a frown, she turned back to Anakin and asked, "How did they get ahead of us?"

For a moment, he sat there and just looked at her, incredulous. And then he started to laugh.

Everything would be okay.


	10. Leg or Peg

**Author's Note: **_Hi everyone! Thank you so much for your patience and for the wonderful reviews. Here's the next installment – it's pretty light and fluffy. Hope you enjoy! _

**FOURTH DESTINATION, BLARNUM CABINS - THREE HOURS LATER**

"And the next thing I knew, I was hanging upside-down and Anakin had to pull me up," Padme explained, her eyes taking on a haunted look as she remembered how close she had come to plummeting to the ground. She looked up gratefully as Anakin put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"This new development is indeed troubling," Mace murmured, his face tense. "It appears the attacks are getting stronger. Padme, the next time this happens, you must find a way to fight it. Focus all your energy into something positive, something so strong it will cast out this presence."

"I will," Padme promised resolutely. Her eyes glowed with determination and Anakin felt another stirring of hope in his heart. If there was a way to beat this, he knew his wife would find it.

"Anakin," Obi-wan began. "Pay close attention to Padme. You may be able to help bring her out of these trances, but if not - you'll need to be on full alert in case there's another physical manifestation."

"Yes, Master," Anakin agreed.

"Try to get some rest. You both need your strength," Mace added. "We've been assigned to the cabin right next to yours. If there's any trouble, we'll sense it."

"Thank you," Padme responded, smiling softly. With another respectful nod, the Jedi Masters exited the cabin.

**OUTSIDE RESORT CABINS - NEXT DAY**

"Are you ready?" Anakin asked, glancing as the hologram began to shimmer to life.

"Definitely," Padme replied, watching as Obi-wan and Mace boarded their ship and streaked for the sky. Her attention was brought back to the ground as the voiceover began to speak:

"Welcome to the Fifth Leg of _Racing Through the Stars_. Teams must now find their way to Terraro, a planet widely known for their dustracers. You will need to proceed to Sector 120-P and find the Track of Terraro. Your next clue is waiting."

Padme didn't even need to look at her husband to know that he was pleased. Sure enough, he turned a grin her way before jogging for the ship. She gave an amused chuckle as she thought, _I hope these dustracers come with really good safety harnesses._

**SECTOR 120-P - TRACK OF TERRARO - FOUR HOURS LATER**

Hand-in-hand, they hurried for the hologram, mere steps behind Obi-wan and Mace. The Jedi Masters frowned slightly as they realized their small lead had been frittered away. Plucking the clues from the metallic bin, the teams began to read: _Climb into your designated dustracer and follow the marked course. Beware! Dangers lurk around every twist and turn. _Snapping the clues shut, there was a blur of activity as they raced for the compact machines.

Hopping over the edge over their racer, Padme landed on the seat and had her helmet and safety harness fastened in a split second. Anakin looked at her for a moment with a slight frown and then shrugged as he admitted that she had witnessed a few of his close calls and was probably smart to prepare accordingly. Easily, he strapped into the pilot's seat and fired up the engines. With a screech, the racer left the starting gate, kicking up a huge cloud of dust behind it.

Hugging the terrain, the shuttle responded smoothly to every command. Catching sight of a series of flagged electrified hoops, Anakin headed straight for them, increasing their speed as he went. Padme made a strangled noise in her throat as the wing on her side brushed the first structure. Anakin merely laughed and pushed the throttle forward, enjoying the challenge. In response, Padme squeezed her eyes shut and hoped she'd live to see the next day.

As they emerged from the last hoop, Anakin banked a hard turn and dove for the ground, narrowly missing a jet of fire. The inside of the cockpit heated up slightly as they slipped past it. Padme winced as she sensed the close call and simply dug her fingernails into the palms of her hands. Suddenly, her eyes flew open as she ship began to spin wildly. Looking around frantically, she saw a hail of laser fire fly past the door. As the last shots rang out, Anakin straightened out their path and began a steep climb.

Padme found herself being pushed back in her seat as she saw the reason behind his ascent - a giant landmass rising out of the ground before them. She held her breath as the racer strained to keep the pace Anakin was demanding. It shuddered once, then twice and finally cleared the top, the undercarriage gently brushing the unforgiving surface. With a sigh of relief, she started to relax... and then felt the bottom drop out as they plunged to the ground.

"Kaide!" she shrieked.

"Just following the course," he insisted, still urging the racer forward. He glanced over at her and grinned, totally in his element. Padme once again closed her eyes and settled into the safety harness, her hands unconsciously checking the locking mechanism.

As the ship finally leveled out, Padme felt it bounce across some sort of liquid before coming to a stop. She slowly opened her eyes and saw the next hologram blinking a few feet away. Glancing up, she saw a banner streaking across the record-board: NEW TRACK RECORD. Shaking her head in disbelief, she climbed out of the shuttle and followed her husband to the next clue. The hovering camera droid caught up a few moments later and the voiceover finally began issuing instructions:

"You have reached a divergence and must choose your path - Leg or Peg. In Leg, teams will have their legs tied together and then navigate a popular Terraro market from one side to the other." The image showed two people standing next to each other. The woman's left leg was lashed to the man's right leg as they struggled through a crowded area. "Once teams exit the market, they will receive the next clue. The task is straightforward, but navigating the large crowds is tricky, especially while tethered together."

There was a momentary pause while the hologram picture switched to a field full of numbered targets. "In Peg, teams will need to find the Terraro Park where they will be given a puzzle. Once the puzzle has been solved, the Park's analyst will give them a number, which they must use to locate a corresponding target. Strike the target with a baton three times to find the next clue. Locating the target will be easy, but solving the clues may take some time."

Padme glanced at Anakin and suggested, "Leg?"

"All right," he quickly agreed. They heard the approach of another dustracer and began to run towards the market. Moments later, they had their legs tied together and were struggling to simply enter the market as creatures shoved them from all sides. Anakin grimaced as he caught a particularly hard kick across his shin.

"I'm beginning to think this wasn't such a good idea!" Padme yelled, hoping her voice carried over the din. Suddenly, she was pushed from behind and flailed as she lost her balance. She gritted her teeth as she landed on her knees, bringing Anakin with her. For a moment, they simply sat there, bewildered, until they began to laugh. Catching sight of Obi-wan and Mace, they waved jovially before once again standing and facing the Market.

With a resigned nod, Padme linked her arm with Anakin's and they started into the fray. After a few more stumbles, they realized they needed to move at a more unified pace. Interspersed with fits of laughter, they began to count their steps aloud and quickly disappeared into the crowd, leaving an aggravated Mace Windu behind.

"Dake!" Mace spat. "Obviously, we are not moving as efficiently as we could be."

"Well, that's because you keep stopping and starting without telling me what you're planning," Obi-wan replied airily.

"Our lack of progress is unacceptable," Mace continued. Catching another elbow at his side, he stopped suddenly to glare at his assailant, sending Obi-wan reeling as he tried unsuccessfully to catch his balance.

**OTHER SIDE OF TERRARO MARKET - 45 MINUTES LATER**

Rubbing her side gently, Padme felt the last of the ties give way and stretched her legs, happy to be able to walk normally again. Craning her neck, she tried to see through the teeming Market, but could find no trace of the Jedi Masters. She hoped they were managing okay. The last she had seen of them, Mace was glaring at Obi-wan, who was trying desperately to stay upright.

Hearing the familiar sound of a clue being ripped open, she turned her attention to Anakin. Reading quietly, he said, "Follow the flags to the next hologram. It will issue further instructions."

Their interest peaked, they scurried down the marked path. Moments later, the hologram came into view and they skidded to a stop just as the voiceover began.

"You have reached a Blockade - a task only one person can perform. Now, who can bend over backwards?" Padme stepped forward as she remembered it was her turn. The hologram continued, "The designated contestants must pass through the Three Archways. However, they will not be passing through them using standard means. Instead, contestants must lean backwards as they walk under the structures, but be careful - if you touch any part of an archway, the task is over."

The voiceover hesitated for a moment before continuing, "Each archway represents a method of transportation back to your ship where the next clue is waiting. If only the first archway is completed, you will be given use of an air carriage. If the second archway is completed, you will take a chartered speeder. If the third archway is completed, you may use a dustracer."

As the hologram faded out, Padme approached the first archway and noted the entrance height came to her chin. Leaning her head back, she easily passed through to the other side. Catching Anakin's grin, she hurried to the second archway, just as Obi-wan and Mace came into view. Trying not to feel too hurried, she approached the structure and noticed this one came to her upper chest. Leaning back even further, she slithered through and smiled as she emerged on the other side.

Warily, she approached the final archway and paled at the sight of it. This one appeared to come to her mid-torso. With a shrug, she threw her head back and started under it, feeling the radiating warmth from the stones as her face passed within a breath of it. As she straightened back up seconds later, she was swept into a hug by Anakin and laughed delightedly, the worry of the last few days draining from her mind.

Feeling better than she had in days, she slipped into the pilot's seat of the dustracer. At Anakin's questioning glance, she simply said, "I'm driving this time." With a chagrined smile, he hopped in next to her and they raced off.

Several moments later, an angry Mace Windu and an embarrassed Obi-wan Kenobi climbed into an air carriage and waited while it floated lazily towards the ships.


	11. Slimed

**Author's Note: **_Hello dear readers! Thank you for all the sweet reviews. I'm so glad you seem to be enjoying the story! Here's another chapter for you!_

**SHIP OF LIRI AND KAIDE**

Padme swept into the cockpit and settled into the chair. Punching in a few buttons, she watched as the ship's messaging system blinked on. Anakin took his seat next to her just as the voiceover began: "You have successfully completed the Blockade. Well done! Teams must now travel to Sector 129-A, the location of the _Greatest Show in the Galaxy. _Once you have landed, you will receive your next clue. Hope you don't mind a crowd!" With that, the device blinked off.

Consulting the detailed map of Terraro, Anakin found the appropriate sector and fired up the engines. Within moments, they were streaking across the landscape towards their next challenge.

**SECTOR 129-A - ONE HOUR LATER**

As the landing gear touched down, Padme glanced out the window and took in the gigantic tent that seemed to sprawl for miles. Swallowing painfully, she reluctantly walked down the ramp and drew even with the hologram. Anakin stood behind her, his chin resting on her shoulder in an unconscious display of affection and support.

With a low beep as it turned on, the voiceover said, "You have reached a divergence and must choose your path - Catch or Fetch. In Catch, teams will perform during this evening's show in one of the exclusive Center Rings. There, they will be tasked with catching five babops, fragile ovals that explode if they are not caught with the utmost care." The image changed to show delicate ornaments falling from the ceiling and shattering into someone's hand, a green goo oozing out. "The task is fairly simplistic, but learning to handle the babops could take some time."

The picture switched to depict a large beam suspended from a pair of thick cables as the metallic voice continued - "In Fetch, teams will also perform during this evening's show in an adjacent Center Ring. Contestants must balance themselves on a thin beam while making their way across the ring to retrieve a gemstone. Once they've navigated their way safely back to the starting point and dropped off their stone, they will receive their next clue. Balancing on the thin beam can be difficult but if done successfully, teams could finish quickly."

"Whick one do you think we should do?" Padme asked. "I don't really have a preference."

"I think 'catch' is a better option," Anakin mused. "Fetch could be difficult if you get too many people on the beam."

Gauging it to only be sometime in the middle of the afternoon, they settled in for a lengthy wait. Padme leaned into Anakin, sighing as she felt his arms wrap around her. _I love you._ She felt safe - at least for the moment.

**MOMENTS BEFORE BEGINNING OF EVENING SHOW**

_Apparently, we weren't the only ones who thought 'catch' would be easier,_ Anakin thought as he glanced around at the other teams. They had all drawn even now, making the quick completion of the task even more important than usual. His eyes came to rest of the Jedi Masters who seemed to be devising some sort of strategy. Once again, Mace appeared extremely serious while Obi-wan merely looked mildly interested.

Everyone's heads jerked towards the cloaked entrance as they heard a round of thunderous applause. Suddenly, the fabric was cast aside and the spotlight illuminated the revealed pathway. The announcer's voice boomed through the large structure, "Welcome to the _Greatest Show in the Galaxy!_ It has been our honor to entertain you for generations with acts from across the Star Systems! Tonight is no exception. We are happy to bring you the remaining teams from the hit HoloNet show,_ Racing Through the Stars!_" Again, the crowd roared in excitement. The announcer waited for the noise to fade away before he continued.

"They have been brought here tonight to participate in a challenge before they can receive their next clue. I know you'll give them your undivided attention - whether they want it or not! Now, let's give a warm welcome to our contestants! First up is Holad and Duley, a rugged team who has managed to squeak through many close finishes..." Padme watched as the couple ran out and headed towards the center ring. She remembered them from the first leg of the race, when she had to trudge through all that mud. Enthusiastically, the announcer continued his roll call.

"Next up is a team that has kept us talking for hours after each show. They're famous for their quick quips and the fact that they're still speaking after several rough legs - Dake and Tarv!" The Jedi Masters froze for a moment and Anakin had to give them a shove to get them moving. Finally, they slowly jogged into the spotlight amid cheers and laughter. Padme found herself smiling despite their mortified expressions.

"And now, the team that clearly needs no introduction. We've loved them since _Dancing with the Star Wars_ and we're showing no signs of stopping. My dear friends, let's welcome Liri and Kaide!" Anakin grabbed Padme's hand and they made their way to the center of the tent, overwhelmed by the noise and size of the crowd.

Finally, the last remaining teams were announced and the audience quieted as the Entertainment Director came forth with a bell. Speaking into an amplifier, she explained, "All teams have selected "catch." The babops will be released from above when this instrument sounds. Teams must catch and bring five to me, fully intact. Then, and only then, will they receive their next clue. I wish you all good fortune." With that, she stepped back and brought the bell above her head. Seconds later, a loud _ding_ sounded throughout the tent.

Padme looked up as several shimmering orbs dropped from the ceiling. Reaching up, she felt one land in her hand and grimaced as she immediately felt it break. Globs of slime ran down her arms and splattered onto her face. Turning towards Anakin, she heard him sputtering with laughter at her predicament and watched in glee as one landed on his foot and oozed all over his favorite boots.

The crowd was fairly coming out of their seats as they watched the humorous scene play out before them. Trying to concentrate, Padme once again stretched out her hands to try to capture an elusive babop. Again and again, they fell apart in her hands. The ground was quickly becoming slippery with slime and her boots were having trouble finding purchase on the slick surface. Flailing blindly, she came into contact with a solid body and gripped the stranger's tunic to keep herself upright. Swiping a hand over her eyes, she cleared away a film of slime and realized she was holding onto Mace Windu - who was covered in even more slime than she was. Mumbling an apology, she swallowed her grin and skidded back to Anakin who was putting two babops in his rucksack.

"Good job!" she yelled over the din. He smiled crookedly as a trail of slime dripped onto his shoulder. Catching sight of another babop, Padme lunged for it and cried out as she lost her footing. Sliding across the slick surface, she juggled the elusive orb, sighing in relief as she finally came to a stop. Gingerly, she got back on her feet, ignoring the mess that was now covering the front of her tunic and tucked the precious item into her own rucksack. The crowd roared as it cheered her on.

"Dake, how many have you captured?" Padme heard Mace call. She couldn't hear Obi-wan's response, but it must not have met with Mace's approval because he made an angry gesture with his fist. As another babop splattered on her arm, she returned her gaze to the ceiling and tracked an orb with her eyes, intent on adding this one to her inventory. She moved forward, then back and finally felt it land in her hands just as she sat down, her slow fall cushioning the impact. Grinning at her accidental success, she tucked it away with the first one and started towards Anakin. His eyes were narrowed in concentration, contrasting comically with the bright green slime that was oozing down his face and soaking through his clothes.

_Suddenly, the slime turned red - blood red - and Anakin stumbled, his face going slack. He looked at her longingly before he collapsed. Gasping his name, she started towards him and watched in horror as the slime built higher and higher until it finally blocked him from view. She cried out in despair as he vanished and the substance turned towards her, coming up to her throat, choking the very air from her lungs. She caught a flash of white as colors began to dance in front of her eyes._

_White... The color of the dress she had been wearing on her wedding day. It was beautiful, trimmed in the finest lace and ribbons. Her hair had been down and curled in graceful spirals to the middle of her back. Anakin had been wearing his formal Jedi robes, his Padawan braid resting gently on his shoulder. He was so handsome, his expression serious as he repeated the holy vows. She had never been so content in her life._

Suddenly, she was jerked back to the present, still splattered with goo, the sensation of a retreating shadow slipping from her mind. She could feel its searing anger at its temporary defeat and knew it planned to return. Putting a trembling hand to her head, she made her way towards Anakin, teetering between fear and a feeling of victory.

She had a feeling she was right to feel both.


	12. Garden Illusions

**Author's Note:**_ Hey there! Here is the next chapter in our ongoing saga. If you need a refresher on hirtii, please check out Dancing with the Star Wars. As always, thank you so much for reading and reviewing. I love it! You're the best!_

By the time Padme had reached Anakin, her hands had stopped trembling and the fear had left her eyes. Still, he could sense her lingering discomfort and gently prodded her through their Force bond. She absorbed the love and reassurance he was sending and looked at him with a grateful smile. _Thank you, my love. I'm all right. _Ignoring the slime that covered his face, she swept a finger over his lips and kissed him gently. His eyes searched hers for a moment until he nodded, apparently satisfied that she was telling the truth. Slipping and sliding, they made their way to the entertainment director and turned over five fully intact babops. She quickly handed over the next clue, careful to avoid contact with their sticky hands.

"You can clean up outside," the woman offered sympathetically.

With one last wave at the cheering crowd, Padme and Anakin dashed out of the tent and headed straight for the outdoor water cache. Stepping into the marked area, they were immediately doused with a lengthy stream of cool, clean liquid as it washed away the remaining ooze. Significantly refreshed, they grabbed a large blanket and toweled off before tearing open the clue.

_"You have completed the final challenge of this leg of the race. Now, teams must hike towards the eastern sky and find the Hermett Sand Dune. Climb to the top where you will discover an assortment of sandboards. Choose the ones marked with your names and ride them to the Fifth Destination. Hurry! The last team may be eliminated."_

Taking a moment to survey the surroundings, they quickly determined which way was east and started walking briskly. Hearing a commotion, they looked over their shoulders and spotted Obi-wan and Mace as they exited the tent, dripping with slime. The night was quiet and their words carried on the small breeze.

"I can't wait to wash this stuff off!" Mace cried, looking grim. His head covering was soaked with the gooey substance which gave his entire head a greenish glow.

"For once I completely agree with you!" Obi-wan replied. Threepio followed at a safe distance, looking horrified at the entire situation. Padme grabbed Anakin's hand and pulled him away before he could laugh too loudly. Moments later, they reached the large dune and began to climb.

The hot air had dried their clothing quickly, a fact for which Padme was grateful, as the sand was sticking to her enough as it was. She didn't need to look at Anakin to get his feelings on the matter. She remembered his opinions on sand quite well and wondered if he thought of his mother during times like these.

"Are you all right over there?" Padme asked gently.

"I'm fine," Anakin responded quietly. Giving her a small smile, he added, "Thanks."

After a few more moments, Padme's legs started to burn as they struggled to keep their footing on the steep path. _This is why they invented turbolifts,_ she thought darkly. She found her breaths coming in sharp gasps and paused for a moment to secure her braid. She flashed Anakin a mildly annoyed look as she saw him scrambling up the hillside next to her, looking as refreshed as he would if they were simply out for a leisurely stroll. Hearing Artoo's encouraging beep, she nodded to herself and began climbing once again.

"Keep going - we're almost there!" Anakin encouraged. Looking up at the large amount of hillside she still had to cover, she glared at him and dragged a hand across her brow.

Finally, they reached the top of the enormous dune and Padme turned to see the Jedi Masters coming up right behind them. Forcing her legs to move, she followed Anakin to the row of smooth wooden boards and found the one marked "Liri." She grabbed it and threw it on the soft ground, inches from the downward slope. Gripping the steering ropes in her fists, she laid on it carefully and dug her feet into the sand.

"Go!" Anakin yelled, pushing off. Her legs obeyed the command and within seconds she was gliding along beside him. A wild cry of laughter escaped her throat as she flew down the hillside, gaining speed as she went. Catching sight of the host droid, she aimed her board slightly to the left and began to panic as she realized her board had no brakes! Dragging her feet in the sand to try to slow her approach, she finally gave up and rolled off the board, tumbling to a stop a few inches shy of the mat. Feeling clumsy, she watched as Anakin leapt from his sandboard and easily landed on his feet.

Catching a flurry of movement out of the corner of her eye, she spat the sand out of her mouth and stretched her arm forward, touching the mat just before Obi-wan and Mace ran forth.

"Welcome to the Fifth Destination! Liri and Kaide, you are team number 1!" the droid exclaimed. Anakin quickly helped Padme to her feet as "Dake and Tarv" were proclaimed team number 2. Shaking the sand out of her tunic, Padme's frown quickly began a grin as she realized Mace was once again the not-so-proud owner of a pink head scarf. Catching her amusement, Mace pulled the offending fabric from his head and wadded it up in his hands.

**FIFTH DESTINATION - DUNES OF TERRARO RESORT - TWO HOURS LATER**

Padme ran a silver hairbrush through her damp curls, happy to see the strands were sand-free. She tightened the ties of her robe seconds before the visitor's chime sounded. Hearing the water running, she realized Anakin was still getting cleaned up so it was up to her to welcome the Jedi Masters. Punching in a series of codes, the door slid open to reveal an empty hallway. _Peering out, she caught a flash of a black cloak disappearing around the corner. She heard a painful cry reverberate through the still corridors. The despair she heard in its echo caused her heart to clench painfully. _

_Letting the door slide shut behind her, she lifted the hem of her robes and hurried towards the corner where she had last seen the black cloak. As she rounded the structure, she saw another flash of black as it swirled into another hallway. Picking up her pace, she tried to call out to the stranger but her voice seemed to be lodged in her throat. Stepping through a bright doorway, she found herself in a beautiful garden. Distracted momentarily, she let her fingers trail over the brilliant flowers and inhaled their luscious fragrance. Her attention was quickly torn away as she heard another sharp cry._

_Startled, she moved forward, her feet following the path as if she'd traveled it a million times. Her mind didn't know where she was going or what she expected to find, yet she felt driven forward by an unseen force. Reaching the middle of the winding path, she felt herself recoil in horror at what she saw laying in front of her. Anakin, her beautiful Anakin, was chained to a stone post, his head lolling lifelessly on his chest. With effort, he brought his eyes up and fixed her with a helpless stare. His cracked lips parted to whisper her name as his bloodshot eyes pleaded with her to help him. To save him._

_Choking back tears, she started forward and watched as vines came out of nowhere, wrapping themselves around her ankles. She fell to her knees, the rough stones cutting through her robes and into her skin. Reaching down to swipe at the blood, her hands came in contact with a lightsaber. She grasped it tightly, struggling to activate the blade, her mind screaming in urgency. But the saber refused to engage. Crushed by the weight of the realization, she allowed the weapon to fall from her numb fingers and it clattering on the stones loudly. She could only watch in helpless agony as her love's life slipped away. Sobbing raggedly, she reached forward with trembling fingers as she tried to touch him one last time-_

And felt firm hands pull her back sharply, causing her legs to go out from under her and sending her crashing to the ground. Her head struck something hard and caused her vision to swim momentarily. Struggling to stand, she felt strong arms sweep her up and rush her away. The lights overhead were harsh and she closed her eyes, trying to block them out. She felt another wave of fear crash over her heart and fought instinctively to push it aside. _Fight it, Padme. Fight! Come back to me!_

Disoriented, she felt herself being settled onto a soft bed and could hear the quiet _whirr_ of a medic droid as it scanned her body. She tried to speak, but her tongue felt heavy and thick and she couldn't get any words out. _She remembered the look on Anakin's face, the way his head had hung motionless. She had failed him. _A chilling blackness was calling for her and she struggled against it, trying to obey the familiar voice that was whispering soothingly_ - Don't give in, Padme. I love you! You can do this!_ She kicked away from the blackness, feeling her heart swell as love and adoration flowed through her soul.

She hissed as a needle embedded itself in her skin and felt the warmth of the liquid spreading through her veins. There was another sharp pain and she felt her body relax as she sank into the welcoming embrace of sleep.

**DUNES OF TERRARO RESORT - MEDICAL BAY **

She heard a low murmur of voices as her eyelashes began to flutter, trying valiantly to stay open. She moaned softly as she tried to raise a hand to her head, attempting to soothe the relentless pounding. She gingerly moved her head to the side, wincing as the pain increased. She forced herself to lie still and counted to fifty.

Finally, she brought her eyes fully open and met the worried gazes of Obi-wan and Mace. Her eyes darted from one Master to the other as she tried to figure out why Anakin wasn't there. Struggling, she attempted to sit up and made a small noise of gratitude as Obi-wan aided her quest.

"Where-" she began, her voice dry and papery. She quickly accepted the small cup of water Mace offered her and took a sip before trying again, "Where is Anakin? Please - is he all right?"

"He's fine, Milady," Obi-wan promised. "He's resting."

"Resting?" Padme questioned, worry filling every fiber of her being. She understood her husband inside and out and knew he wouldn't willingly leave her bedside. _Oh, Ani! What happened?_

Realizing Padme was quickly becoming even more upset, Mace placed a calming hand on her brow. She settled back into her pillows reluctantly before murmuring, "Please. You must tell me what happened."

With a sigh, Obi-wan explained, "We were coming to your room for our usual briefing. As we approached, we caught a glimpse of you rounding the corner at the far end of the hallway. You were moving strangely - your movements fluid, yet quick. The Force hit us with a warning and we rushed to follow. We lost sight of you when you went into the gardens, but Anakin came crashing past us and found you in seconds."

The Jedi Master paused for a moment, hesitant to continue. Padme fixed him with the best Senatorial stare she could muster and he finally continued, "When we came upon you, you were kneeling on a bed of stones with tears running down your face, sobbing as if your heart was broken. I think we all stopped breathing for a moment when we realized what you were reaching for."

She felt her stomach clench as she waited for him to finish.

"Hirtii," he stated. "In its natural form. If we would have found you two seconds later, well... We wouldn't be having this conversation." His voice grew stronger as he continued, "Anakin wrenched you away just in time. You were like a rag doll, unresponsive and limp. He rushed you here - to the medical bay - when it was apparent you weren't emerging from the vision."

She closed her eyes as she remembered Anakin's voice commanding her to fight, to come back to him. She turned tear-filled eyes to Mace as he finished the tale.

"Anakin had to connect with you through your Force bond, only it was harder this time because he was being blocked. He finally got through to you, breaking your trance before he collapsed in exhaustion." The Jedi Master stepped aside, revealing her husband, his handsome face ashen as he slept in the cot beside her. Her hands flew to her mouth as she stifled a cry of fear.

"He'll be okay," Obi-wan assured her. "He's just resting, I promise."

"But I don't understand," Padme whispered. "I was able to fight the shadow earlier this evening."

"Earlier?" Mace asked, confusion etched on his face.

"During the challenge - with the babops. I had a vision, but I was able to break out of it. Why couldn't I do it this time?" She looked at them, her brown eyes flashing with frustration.

There was a moment of silence as the Jedi Masters pondered her question. Finally, Mace mused, "I believe this may have been a retaliatory attack against your previous triumph. _Force,_ its intensity must have been overwhelming." He sighed before turning a serious gaze on her. "You're going to have to work harder than you ever have in your life to defeat this. You must remember - hate is powerful."

There was a brief silence before he finished-

"But it doesn't have a chance against love."


	13. Under or Over

**Author's Note: **_Hey everyone! Thank you for the wonderful reviews of the last chapter – I love hearing from all of you and I'm so glad you've joined me on this adventure. Zan189, welcome! I was really hoping you would pop up – I've got lots of Obi-wan here! _

_I'm sorry to ask you to bear with me again this weekend. My parents are still trying to get settled (their moving trucks were delayed by several days) so I'll be helping them again this weekend. I'll be back on Monday and will update then, I promise! Like last time, I tried to end on a light note. Hope you enjoy!_

**DUNES OF TERRARO RESORT - SEVERAL HOURS LATER**

Padme stifled a yawn as she followed the Jedi Masters into the quarters she was sharing with Anakin. Other than the slight throb that was still making itself known, she felt much better. Linking her hand with her husband's, she turned towards Obi-wan and Mace, smiling warmly.

"Thank you both for watching out for me," she said, the sincerity coming through in every word. "Anakin and I are very fortunate to have you in our lives."

Anakin nodded his agreement at her words, even as a red flush spread over his cheeks. Obi-wan cleared his throat, mildly embarrassed but also touched.

"Well now-" he began, flustered. "Thank you, Padme. You are very kind and I hope you know that the sentiment is returned." His voice becoming stronger, he continued, "Master Windu and I are happy to stay here this evening to make sure you both get a full night's sleep, undisturbed. The medical droid said that was imperative for a full recovery. Now, we shall see you both in the morning. We have much to discuss."

With another smile, Padme inclined her head politely and headed into the bedroom suite. Anakin bowed politely to his Masters before bidding them good night and following. With a slight _whoosh,_ the door slid shut behind him.

Mace and Obi-wan busied themselves with checking the locks before settling in for the evening. After a quick squabble over who got the plush sofa, all was quiet.

**NEXT MORNING - BEDROOM SUITE**

The daylight was only beginning to peek over the horizon and Padme let the beauty spill over her, hoping it might wash away the events from the day before. She jumped slightly as a pair of warm arms slid around her, relaxing as she felt Anakin's chin gently bump the top of her head.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice low against her ear. She nodded, biting her lip and not trusting herself to speak. She could feel tears well in her eyes and she tried to blink them away. Turning, she buried her head in Anakin's shoulder and wept quietly as he rocked her back and forth. After a few moments, she wiped her eyes and murmured an apology.

Silently, Anakin placed a finger under her chin and easily raised her face to his. Leaning forward, their lips met gently in a deep, but healing kiss. Moments later, they parted, their foreheads pressed together as they stared into each other's eyes and began to smile.

"We're going to beat this," Anakin said. He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her fingers softly.

"I know," Padme replied simply.

**THIRTY MINUTES LATER**

She eased her cloak over her shoulders and pulled her hair free where it had gotten caught under the durable fabric. She clicked her utility belt into place before heading for the sitting room. As she approached, she heard the soft murmur of conversation as the three Jedi outlined their plans for finding and destroying the weapon on Plauu. She was anxious to get there. Perhaps then this nightmare would finally be over.

Slightly distracted, she found her boots and slipped them on before crossing the room to take the seat next to Anakin. He handed her a cup of warm broth which she gladly accepted. As she inhaled the delicious aroma, she realized she was starving and took a deep sip of the soothing liquid. Helping herself to a thick slice of breakfast bread, she leaned into the cushions as Master Windu began to speak.

"I returned to the ship and consulted the starmap - the Race is finally nearing Plauu. Padme, I know this isn't any comfort, but that may be why your visions are getting worse. Unfortunately, I don't know if we could totally prevent them from happening, even if were knew for sure that was the case," he said gravely. "Milady, do you think you can withstand any more of these occurrences?"

Without hesitation, Padme replied, "Yes. I will make it to Plauu."

"We'll help you any way we can," Obi-wan added. "But you must continue to take care with your thoughts and your bond with Anakin. Remember how you felt when you drove the shadow from your mind - feed into that feeling. We all know you can do it." Anakin squeezed her shoulder supportively as Mace nodded. She felt a rush of resolve flow through her body as she sensed their protective tremors ripple through the Force.

"Well, I guess we have a race to run," she said brightly. Draining the remaining broth from her cup, she set it down on the table in front of her with a quiet _clink._

Standing, the foursome grabbed their travelpacks and headed for the doorway.

**OUTSIDE DUNES OF TERRARO RESORT - 90 MINUTES LATER**

Padme stood next to Anakin and shivered in anticipation as the hologram shimmered to life. Obi-wan and Mace stood to her left, shifting their weight anxiously as the next clue was issued:

"Welcome to the sixth leg of _Racing Through the Stars!_ Teams must now travel to Planet Lopevia and land in Sector 13-GW where they will receive their next clue."

Padme ran alongside Anakin as they headed for their ship. Setting into the now familiar routine, she retracted the ramp while Anakin headed straight for the pilot's seat. Within moments, they were leaving Terraro far behind and Padme breathed a small sigh of relief as she caught a glance of the gardens as they faded to a mere speck. Turning from the window, she greeted Artoo before joining Anakin at the front of the ship where a starmap glittered brightly.

Her eyes studied the various structures before landing on the correct planet. Pointing it out to Anakin, she quickly punched in the coordinates and felt the ship respond, surging ahead smoothly. She caught a glimpse of Obi-wan and Mace's ship heading in a slightly different direction, but watched as it changed course and followed them.

She laughed delightedly. Wouldn't they ever learn?

**PLANET LOPEVIA, SECTOR 13-GW**

"I'm sure they didn't know we were following them," Obi-wan insisted. "Besides, if you would have given me two seconds to review the map, I'm sure I would have found the correct coordinates before they did."

Mace merely frowned and pulled on a new headcovering before striding down the ramp. Obi-wan threw up his hands in dismay and followed, immediately noticing Padme and Anakin grinning at them knowingly. _Blast! _Seeing Mace's glare, he gave his former Padawan a dark look and reluctantly joined the group at the hologram.

"You have reached a Divergence and must choose a path," the voiceover outlined. "In Over, teams will navigate a marked mountain trail from start to finish. The path will be easy to follow, but very lengthy and strenuous." The image whipped through a series of still pictures of trees, boulders and spiky grasses.

Gradually, the scene morphed to show rocky tunnels cloaked in darkness. "In Under, teams will travel into a series of caverns with only a map to guide them. The passage will be fairly short, but finding your way through a winding group of dark caves will not be easy."

Simultaneously, they all agreed, "Under." Immediately, the adjacent metal bin popped open, revealing a set of crudely drawn maps attached to lightsticks. Padme quickly spotted the marked entrance to the caverns and headed towards it. Anakin, Obi-wan and Mace were steps behind her.

As soon as they passed through the entry, the rocky floor began to slope downwards. After a few moments, they came into a large clearing. Turning in a large circle, she spotted seven possible passages. Cracking the lightstick in her hand, it began to glow and she held it above the map. Anakin peered over her shoulder as they studied the parchment for several moments, speaking quietly.

"I think it has to be either Tunnel 5 or 6," she said, pointing to the two openings to the right. He followed her finger and saw Obi-wan and Mace already disappearing into Tunnel 6. As Anakin watched them go, he could feel Obi-wan's mental connection staying tuned to Padme. And even though he wasn't as closely tied to Master Windu, he could feel his commanding presence as well. _Thank you, Masters._

He directed his attention back to the map before stating, "I think we should take Tunnel 5." Nodding, Padme refolded the map and they started down the dark pathway, ducking to keep their heads from striking the rocky ceiling above them. They could hear a trickle of water in the distance and kept the lightstick raised as their eyes strained to see what was coming up next.

**TUNNEL 6 - SAME TIME**

Obi-wan tensed as he heard a small growl. The hairs at the back of his neck began to stand as he stepped down into a damp opening. He gingerly brought up his lightstick and felt his heart plummet as he saw the red light reflect off several dozen beady eyes.

Trying to calm himself, he remembered a small part of his training - _A Jedi shall not allow fear to detract from his actions._

Seconds later, as he sprinted beside Mace with a swarm of furry bat-like creatures swirling around his head, he thought flatly - _Well, it's not exactly detracting from my actions - it may even be enhancing them!_

**TUNNEL 5**

Padme felt the water slosh over her boots as she stepped into the cavern. Looking down, she could see an array of shiny stones sparkling in the clear water. _So beautiful._

Reaching down, Anakin plucked one from the bottom and handed it to her with a grin. She studied the soft blue color for a moment, noticing how it matched the color of her husband's eyes. Gently, she tucked it into a small pocket in her cloak for safekeeping. She would add it to her memory box when they returned home.

Suddenly, they could hear the hurried scrape of boots and looked up to see Obi-wan and Mace dashing across a thin ledge, pursued closely by some type of winged creatures. Their hovering camera droid came zooming along behind them, recording their actions for all the Galaxy to see.

Anakin cringed as he imagined the mood Master Windu would be in later. Peeking at the map over Padme's shoulder, he was suddenly very anxious to get moving.


	14. Speed Racers

_**Author's Note** – Hi everyone! Hope you had a great weekend! Thank you for the wonderful reviews – have I told you how much I love hearing from you? Sorry this chapter is short; I hope to make it up to you tomorrow. Enjoy! _

_**00000**_

"This way," Anakin called, pointing to a tunnel that seemed to veer to the left. Padme held her lightstick in front of her and winced as a shower of pebbles rained down on her head. She could hear the pounding of feet as Obi-wan and Mace continued their wild sprint above. She tried to swallow her smile as she followed Anakin into the small tunnel.

**FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER - TUNNEL 12**

Padme regarded the line of tall, thin carts with some trepidation.

"Are you sure this is what we're supposed to do?" she asked warily.

To prove his point, Anakin pulled out the map and began to explain, "See those marks - the ones that look like small x's?" Seeing her nod, he continued, "Those represent tracks of some kind. Assuming this map is correct, they lead out of this cavern. If we keep following the tunnels, we could get lost. This is definitely the better way."

She had to admit, it appeared he was right. With some effort, she pulled herself into the cart and shrieked softly as she tumbled inside. With a start, she realized she was upside down and her legs were sticking out of the cart at an awkward angle. Seeking to remedy the situation, she brushed the hair out of her eyes, and righted herself, glaring at Anakin as he leapt in with ease. _Sometimes being married to a Jedi is extremely humbling, _she thought.

As they studied the track before them, there was a scuffling sound as Obi-wan and Mace rounded the corner. Raising a hand in greeting, Anakin used the other to release the brake and the cart began to move. Frowning, the Jedi Masters hurried towards the second cart and were in it in seconds, the wheels rattling as it trundled down the track, hot on their trail.

Padme felt her stomach flutter as they crested a hill and sped towards the bottom. With horror, she saw the sharp turn at the bottom and squeezed her eyes shut as the cart reared up on two wheels, almost flying off the track completely. She felt a pang of relief as all four wheels once again made contact. Her eyes flew open as she noted that they were continuing to gain speed.

"You know, there is a brake installed in this thing for a reason!" she cried. Anakin simply grinned and urged the cart on faster, enjoying every minute of the trek. Padme lowered herself to the floor, wincing at the screeching sounds that were reverberating through the dark tunnel. Every now and again, sparks would illuminate the walls, further adding to her apprehension. She added on to her earlier thought - _Sometimes being married to a Jedi means taking your life into your own hands. _

She braced herself as she felt their cart being bumped from behind. Peeking up from her (relatively) safe spot on the floor, her eyes widened as she saw a grinning Mace Windu and Obi-wan Kenobi, repeatedly ramming their cart into the back of hers and Anakin's. She heard Obi-wan shout, "My friend, you're forgetting the basic rules of transportation - slower vehicles should keep to the right! You're blocking traffic!"

She watched Anakin send them a withering glance as he detached the brake completely, meeting their implied challenge. Immediately, she felt their vehicle respond as it flew forward, shaking from the high rate of speed. Before they disappeared around another twisting bend, Anakin called back, "Now who's slow?"

She once again closed her eyes as she thought - _Being married to a Jedi is crazy enough. But also having two friends who are Jedi? That's certain suicide! _She choked back a cry as they again turned a corner on two wheels. _If the four of us survive this, I'm going to kill them,_ she vowed with a sardonic smile.

**FIVE MINUTES LATER - OUTSIDE LOPEVIA CAVERNS**

Padme gingerly crawled out of the metal cart, watching as Anakin, Obi-wan and Mace congratulated each other on their stunning racing skills. With a grimace, she took a moment to orient herself and calm her racing heart. Finally, she spotted the hologram and strode towards it, waiting for the three Jedi to join her.

She didn't have to wait long.

Sensing her mild aggravation, they approached her sheepishly and came to stand behind her, every inch the stoic, repentant Jedi. Anakin bravely put a gentle arm around her waist, his eyes filled with an unspoken plea for understanding. As if that wasn't enough, she was bombarded by three telepathic apologies.

_I'm sorry, my love. You know I would never do anything to hurt you or cause you injury-_

_Milady, please forgive my earlier behavior-_

_Senator, I do apologize for my unbecoming attitude in the caverns-_

She burst out laughing just as the voiceover began to speak.

"Congratulations on completing the Divergence! You must now take a marked watercraft down the Utipar River where you will find your next clue."

The tension broken, they all ran side-by-side to the line of inflated watercrafts and grabbed the ones marked with their names. Padme easily hefted the front half of the lightweight boat over her head and followed Anakin to the shoreline, grabbing a pair of paddles on her way by the supply shed. Carefully, they navigated the rocky hillside before reaching the river and settling the boat into the clear water.

Padme felt the boat lurch as she climbed aboard and hurried to center her balance. She breathed a sigh of relief as the rocking subsided and Anakin gracefully entered the small craft. She could hear the Jedi Masters struggling behind her.

"Tarv, get in slowly," Obi-wan instructed. "If you get in too quickly, we will capsize-"

There was a splash, as Mace evidently tried to climb in too quickly. Sure enough, she turned and there were ripples where the men had gone under. They popped up seconds later, wearing matching frowns and rushed to right the overturned boat.

"Dake, you were supposed to steady the boat," Mace insisted, water dripping from his green head covering and streaming down his face. Their hovering camera droid zoomed in on his expression, earning it a fierce glare and an appointment with the business end of a lightsaber at a later date.

Laughing lightly as the Jedi Masters continued to bicker, she dipped the wooden oar into the water and began to paddle with all her might. Anakin quickly compensated and they began to row as a team, easily gliding through the smooth water. Behind them, Mace and Obi-wan struggled to find a rhythm for their paddling and zig-zagged from one side to the other as Mace began a lecture on efficiency.

Her arms began to tire and she rested for a moment, enjoying her time in the water. She had always felt at home there and never missed an opportunity to soak in the experience. It reminded her of the week following her wedding. She and Anakin had spent hours in the water; it had been one of the most wonderful times of her life.

_She squeezed the water from her hair, watching as it ran in rivulets down her bare arms. She looked up to meet Anakin's heated gaze and smiled shyly in response. She stretched out her hands and their fingertips brushed before she felt something slimy and cold wrap itself around her legs. _

_With a strangled cry, she dragged in a gulp of air before she was wrenched away from Anakin and pulled under water. She heard him struggle as he was similarly captured and watched in horror as the creature squeezed him in its grip, forcing the air from his lungs._

_She thrashed as hard as she could, fighting to free herself. In a surge of strength borne of love and protectiveness, she broke free, rushing to Anakin's side. With a simple touch of her hand, the creature imprisoning him recoiled, releasing him from its deadly grip. _

_She cradled his still form in her arms as she surfaced. His eyes fluttered open, revealing the startling blue gaze she had come to love so much. She caressed his cheek gently as she glanced around the water, her body shielding him from further harm. _

_Her voice calm, she stated - You will not take my love. You will not. _

_Leave us. _

_I do not fear you!_

_The shadow hissed and slithered away._

With a small gasp, she came back to the present, staring at her oar like she'd never seen it before. Anakin looked at her rigid back, curiosity permeating his expression. After a moment, she seemed to collect herself and began to row in earnest. He called her name gently and was startled when she turned her brown eyes towards him.

It was a gaze he recognized - filled with love, devotion, and honor.

But there was something else there. Something he had seen on previous occasions, but never with such certainty or promise.

It was the gaze of a warrior.


	15. Dining Out

**Author's Note:** _Hi everyone! Here's another chapter – it's pretty light, hope you enjoy! I'm truly enjoying all your reviews, please keep them coming! I can't thank you enough for taking the time to read my story, I'm extremely honored!_

Although she was facing her beloved husband, Padme's mind was still filled with the vision she had just escaped. Her heart was pounding and she was sure her eyes were crackling with energy. She unconsciously clenched her fist and tightened her jaw as she remembered her last words to the shadow. She vowed to uphold them at any cost. Blinking, she shook herself from the memory and felt her body begin to relax, her thoughts calming and filling with a rush of Anakin's love.

Suddenly, her respite was splintered by the roaring sound that filled her ears. Swiveling, she once again faced forward and noticed the water was beginning to move swiftly. Shielding her eyes, she looked out ahead and saw white crests as the river crashed and slapped against the rocks. Following the violent path with her eyes, she discovered a channel and immediately dipped her oar into the water, her arms straining with the effort to turn the small boat. Anakin followed her determined gaze and nodded as he discerned her plan. _Good thinking, Padme._ Without hesitating, he joined her struggle and his features drew into a frown as he too began to paddle.

Padme felt a surge of adrenaline as their small boat flew through the channel. She watched for any sharp rocks, but the boat seemed to glide right through the deepest part of the water, cutting a swath in the raging river. A fine mist settled on her face and she inhaled, letting the freshness wash over her, cleansing her soul and renewing her spirit. She used her oar sparingly, using it only to propel them through the shallower areas. A wave of water came over the sides, drenching her legs and causing a delighted laugh to escape her lips. She continued to lead the boat, navigating the thin channel effortlessly.

After a few moments, the water settled down and she sank into the boat, tired but exhilarated. Tilting her head back to look at Anakin, she found him smiling at her and she let out a deep sigh of contentment. Sitting back up, she spotted the hologram and began to paddle, drawing parallel to the shoreline within minutes. Leaping into the knee-deep water, Anakin gently lifted her out of the boat and carried her to shore. Before he put her down, their eyes met and he could read the questions in her brown gaze.

Quietly, he said, "I don't know what happened out there, but I can see how it's affected you." She tried to interrupt, but he just shook his head and continued, "I just - I know you'll stand by my side to face down whatever's coming. I couldn't ask for a better partner - on this race or in my life. I love you." He kissed her gently and returned her feet to the ground. Deeply touched, she felt a rush of tears come to her eyes, but they were ones of gratitude for this amazing man. At a loss for words, she simply nodded emphatically and squeezed his hand. Accepting her unspoken promise, he simply turned to face the hologram and she joined him. Once again, they were side-by-side. Just as she planned to stay. Forever.

She cleared her throat and blinked away the tears just as the hologram began to speak: "Teams must now pass over the Utipar Bridge, located several hundred feet above this image. As teams climb, they must pluck two flowers from the vines that run across the rocky hillside. Once contestants have neared the middle of the bridge, they will throw the flowers into the river below in an ancient act, meant to demonstrate the traveler's good intentions. After a moment of reflection, teams must cross the remainder of the bridge and follow the marked path to the next clue."

Just as the hologram blinked off, a commotion arose behind them and they turned to see a bedraggled Obi-wan and Mace staggering from the water, pulling a now-deflated boat behind them. Anakin could identify the exact moment they noticed the air of fierce determination around Padme and watched as they nodded slowly in approval. Inclining his head towards them politely, he grabbed his wife's hand and they raced for the hillside.

Padme's legs groaned in protest as she began to climb, reminding her of their trek up the sand dune not so very long ago. She gritted her teeth and kept going, pushing off with one foot and then another as her hands scrambled to find small ledges for balance. As they neared the top, she spotted a breathtaking flower and strained to pull it from its mooring. Just when she thought she'd never succeed, the roots let go and she found the beautiful stem clasped in her fingers. Inhaling the delicate fragrance, she savored it before tucking it behind her ear and continuing to climb.

Surprisingly herself, she reached the top of the hillside before Anakin and tried to keep a straight face as she watched him ascend with a yellow flower clenched in between his teeth. Removing the flower from its spot behind her ear, she waited for him to join her at the entrance to the bridge. Seconds later, he did so and they began the treacherous journey across the structure, trying to ignore the ominous swaying and creaking.

As they reached the midway point, Padme heard Obi-wan and Mace arguing as they scrambled up the hillside behind them. Smiling softly, she closed her eyes and felt the breeze ruffle her hair. She stretched her arm out in front of her and slowly opened her fingers, feeling the silky petals kiss her hands as they slid out of her grasp and fell to the river below. Glancing down, she watched as her flower entwined with Anakin's and gasped as the water calmed briefly, accepting the offering before returning to its normal churning state.

Watching the river sweep their flowers away, she sighed peacefully before traversing the final half, her steps fluid and sure. Spotting the fluttering flags off to the side, they hurried towards them and came to a stop before the shimmering hologram mere seconds before Obi-wan and Mace.

"You have reached a Blockade," the voiceover informed briskly. "This is a task only one person can perform. Now, who's hungry?" Anakin and Mace stepped forward automatically although their faces revealed their reluctance as they recalled the last eating challenge. They were instantly whisked away by a pair of droids who settled them into a sheltered eating area. As soon as they were seated, the rest of the clue was revealed:

"The selected contestants must consume an entire bowl of Chil'ack, a traditional Lopevian spicy soup. The container must be emptied before teams will receive the next clue. Enjoy!" With a lip-smacking sound effect, the hologram disappeared.

Padme strained to catch sight of Anakin as she settled into the overstuffed chairs in the designated waiting area. She frowned as she realized she could only make out his general form and what she could see was obviously unhappy. She winced as she imagined what he must be going through. Obi-wan, on the other hand, merely grinned as he rocked back in the chair and relaxed.

**FOOD SHELTER - SAME TIME**

"Oh my-" Mace shouted, his mouth on fire. Glancing at Anakin, he watched the young Jedi break out in a mild sweat as he struggled to look calm. Finally, Anakin gave up the pretense and simply looked miserable as he forced down another bite of the fiery liquid.

"This does not taste good," Anakin stated plainly. Choking slightly on his next spoonful, he finally swallowed and his eyes began to water. He swiped at his cheeks discreetly, keeping his head bowed.

Mace frowned as he tried to sip directly from the bowl, swallowing as fast as he could. After a moment, he could feel his throat begin to burn and he sputtered as some of the soup trickled down his chin. Yanking off his head covering, he mopped his face, drawing on the Force to try to calm his churning stomach.

From a distance, he could hear Obi-wan yell, "Hurry Tarv! You are not being very efficient!"

Anakin was feeling pretty miserable, but not too miserable to smile at his Master's jabs at Mace. He chuckled quietly, but it was soon replaced by a moan as his mouth continued to burn. His spoon seemed to weigh a thousand tons as he lifted it to his lips. Suddenly, Padme's voice reached his ears, her tone sweet and encouraging. He scooped up several more bites, forcing them down in a quick succession.

Mace was muttering angrily as he took another gulp of soup, determined not to let Anakin beat him. He knew Obi-wan would never let him hear the end of it.

And so several minutes later, Anakin and Mace were both running back to their partners, tears streaming down their faces, coughing madly in between groans. The hovering camera droids flew discretely behind them, their motors making a dull hum.

"Oh no, what happened?" Padme asked, concerned, as she held out a metal canister. Anakin quickly squirted the medication into his mouth and closed his eyes in bliss as his stomach immediately calmed and the burning sensation in his throat ceased.

"We had to eat a bowl of Chil'ack-" Anakin explained, shuddering at the mere mention of the vile substance. _Force, they didn't even have that stuff on Tatooine! Well, at least I'll get some sympathy from Padme-_

"Chil'ack?" Padme asked, her eyes lighting up. "Oh, I love that stuff!"

Anakin gagged slightly and handed her the folded piece of parchment that contained their next clue. Meanwhile, Mace had wrestled the medical spray from Obi-wan - despite the fact that he didn't 'mind his manners' - and was spraying his mouth repeatedly.

Padme smiled as she opened the next clue. She knew they made an odd foursome, but she had to admit they were quite a team. Running a hand through her hair, she began to read.

_From a distance, the shadow watched. _

_And waited..._


	16. A Splash of Wine

**Author's Note:** _A huge thanks to my readers, especially zan189, Niraha Skywalker, Hellish Red Devil, meandmysharpie, Eriks leadinglady, Hopeless4Life, Anakin's Girl, and Rachel 791. You have been so great to send in such regular reviews – and sweet ones at that. It feels amazing to have such support and I am so grateful. Now, let's see where our adventure takes us today. Enjoy!_

_**00000**_

Mace and Obi-wan had apparently reached some sort of a compromise, because they quieted as Padme began to read the next clue out loud: "Teams must now board an airlift and make their way to the Race's Sixth Destination. Hurry! The last team may be eliminated."

Padme and Anakin rushed for the stationary vehicle marked with their names and had it moving before the doors slid shut. Anakin peered up at the rocky cliff-side and blew out a breath when he realized he couldn't even see the top. It was going to be a long, torturously slow ride.

Padme rummaged in her rucksack, happy to find her thick travel cloak as the temperature steadily dropped. With a whirl, she settled it over her shoulders and sank into the warm fabric with a sigh. Suitably warmed, she crossed the space to Anakin. Sensing her presence, he jerked his head to the side and she followed his direction, frowning as she saw Obi-wan and Mace's pod tracking along evenly. _It was going to a race to the finish,_ she realized.

Even though several yards separated them, she could hear their thoughts as clearly as if they were standing next to her. They were grinning devilishly, the unspoken challenge evident in their expressions. _What a change from the normal Jedi Masters I'm used to seeing,_ Padme thought. _It's good to see such camaraderie. I have a feeling we're going to need it._

Raising her brown eyes to her opponents, she quirked a brow arrogantly and gave a dismissive hand gesture. Obi-wan scowled in mock outrage while Mace pretended to look shocked. She giggled quietly as their thoughts flooded her mind.

_Milady, such haughtiness from a representative of the Republic is quite improper._

_Yes, Senator - we are truly shocked. Of course, that won't stop us from beating you and Anakin to the finish line._

_Ah yes, I hope you will accept defeat graciously. Remember, the Galaxy will be watching!_

She simply shook her head, continuing to laugh as Anakin joined in on the silent conversation. She was so distracted, she didn't feel the shadow slip into the outer corners of her mind. Obi-wan's voice took on a cold edge and she flinched as she heard his words echo through her heart.

_Oh Senator, of course you don't mind losing. You have been fighting a losing battle for several years._

_Do you really think you will be able to save Anakin? Or Mace? Or me?_

_We have no faith in you and your supposed abilities. That's why we insisted Anakin continue to use his mind shields. _

_You are too weak._

_Oh yes, you will fail._

_Fail._

Snapping back to the present, she sucked in a sharp breath and pressed a hand to her chest. Still engaged in their battle of wills, the Jedi didn't notice her sudden discomfort and she watched them warily. Gradually, their bantering filtered into her mind once again, but she found herself cringing at Obi-wan's voice. She tried to keep her distress hidden, but moments later she found him eyeing her with concern. Forcing a bright smile, she shook her fist in a teasing challenge and felt relief as he turned away.

Breathing deeply, she repeated quietly, "I will _not_ fail. I won't! I- I _can't-"_ The last word was sputtered brokenly as she absorbed the possible implications. She made a show of sorting through her leather pack while she took the time to gather her thoughts and settle her emotions. When the airlift finally crawled to a stop, she leapt out, sinking into the knee-deep snow, her face a mask of concentration. The bitter cold caused her to gasp, but she ignored it and pressed forward, certain she looked ridiculous as she hopped through the fluffy substance.

Meanwhile, Anakin was trying to refrain from using the Force to plow a path in front of him. He watched as his wife took one bouncing step and then another, her cheeks rosy from the brisk wind. He quickly realized the going was a lot easier if he followed her path. After a few moments, she realized what he was doing and he could feel the annoyance radiating from her in waves.

_Anakin! Honestly! How lazy are you?_ She thought darkly, a trace of a smile coming to her lips. Unbidden, an image of his boots floating to him in their dormitory entered her mind.

_I'm not lazy!_ He responded indignantly, trying to push away the image he knew she was recalling. _I am the picture of efficiency. I'm sure Master Windu is proud-_

But as he looked over to prove his point, he saw Master Windu land face first in a large snow bank as his cloak tangled around his legs. Obi-wan was too chilled to even comment and merely handed him his travel pack, which had spilled open in his tumble. Mace pulled his head covering down further and it nearly shielded his eyes completely. Anakin had a feeling that was a good thing.

Finally, a dancing light could be seen up ahead. Padme picked up the pace, panting from the effort and felt her heart soar as she saw a set of cabins come into view. Anakin had wisely joined her at this point and pointed out the host droid, who had a hologram of the show's logo hovering in the space behind him. After several more strenuous moments, all four of them stepped on the mat at the same time. The host droid beeped quietly as it greeted them.

"Welcome! You have reached the Sixth Destination - The Cabins of Jeepa. Liri and Kaide, Dake and Tarv - you are tied for first place. As such, you will all receive a wardrobe upgrade and a new set of travel supplies. Plus, you will be able to enjoy a free trip to the planet of your choice at the conclusion of the race! Congratulations!"

Anakin tried to look happy but inside he was horrified. A vacation with Mace Windu? And Obi-wan? _Oh no! _Padme elbowed him gently in his side and he tried to stretch his grin a little wider.

_Force, help us all!_

**CABINS OF JEEPA - TWO HOURS LATER **

Padme brought the sides of her hair back and secured them with a jeweled clip, the damp strands spilling down her back. With a click, she heard Anakin turn off the water and watched as a towel soared behind the glass doors. She simply smiled and shook her head as she drummed her fingers on the glistening countertop impatiently. Anakin had locked her in the refresher along with him, not wanting a repeat of the Terraro experience. He still felt guilty that he hadn't been able to keep her safe from that and no amount of arguing had dissuaded him.

He finally emerged from the inner bathing stall, toweling his hair dry. He was clad in the nightwear they had won and the dark blue material fit him well, setting off his deep blue eyes. Padme quickly went to him, slipping her arms around his back. As he turned to her questioningly, she kissed her thoroughly. After several long moments, he stepped back, breathing heavily.

"Wow. What was that for?" he asked, his fingers stroking her arm gently.

"Just because," she replied, flashing him a saucy smile.

"You just want that door unlocked," he mused.

"Who? Me?" she inquired, putting her hands to her chest in a gesture of innocence.

Laughing deeply, he raised a hand and she heard the doors release and swing open. She kissed him again and ran a hand through his hair, cradling the back of his neck softly. She looked at him for a long moment, memorizing his every feature before leaving the room. Anakin watched her go, sensing her undercurrent of worry. He sighed deeply, knowing she would sort things out in her own time. And he would be there for her, no matter what.

Padme hurried to the kitchen and pulled out some utensils, realizing Obi-wan and Mace were going to arrive any moment. She took out a few sparkling glasses and filled one with a deep red wine. Drinking deeply, she savored the pungent liquid as it slid down her throat. Setting the glass down, she rested her hands on the counter and was only mildly startled with the visitor's chime sounded.

Checking the small security monitor, she saw it was indeed Obi-wan and Mace and she admitted them quickly. She fidgeted nervously as Obi-wan glanced at her and quickly turned and walked back into the kitchen.

"Threepio and Artoo have already delivered our dinner. Of course, there is enough for everyone - you know how they like to fuss. Would you care to have a seat?" she asked, the words crashing into each other as she spoke. Mace looked at her curiously and then slid a sideways look at Obi-wan.

"Thank you for the invitation, Senator," Mace acknowledged. "We would be happy to join you. If you will excuse me for a moment, I must speak with young Skywalker first." Turning on his heel, he headed for the main living suite and the door slid shut quietly behind him.

"Master Kenobi, please help yourself to some wine," Padme insisted. She quickly set out plates and sorted through a cabinet, searching for serving spoons. "The food smells delicious; I think we're in for a treat-"

Her words were cut off by a gentle hand on her arm. Looking up, she saw Obi-wan staring at her compassionately. She looked down as she remembered his voice echoing harshly through her head.

_Do you really think you will be able to save Anakin? Or Mace? Or me?_

_You are too weak._

_You will fail._

"Do you really think I would ever say such things?" Obi-wan asked quietly.

Padme jumped as she realized he had heard her memories. Shaking her head miserably, she backed away and bumped into the wooden countertop behind her.

"Padme, I had hoped you knew how I felt about you and Anakin. I care about you both very much," he insisted. His words were plain, yet full of meaning and affection. Taking a deep breath, he continued, "My former Padawan is one of the greatest men I have ever known - he is like my brother."

Padme nodded, the words warming her heart. "Yes, I know, Obi-wan. I do."

"Then you should also know I wouldn't trust just anyone with his life."

Her eyes closed as she took in his words. Drawing in a ragged breath, she met Obi-wan's gaze and took his hand in hers as she whispered, "Thank you."

"You won't let us down, Padme. I know it - we all do," Obi-wan insisted. "We are very fortunate to have you on our side. You have proven yourself to be quite... formidable."

She laughed as she remembered some of the crazy stunts she had completed thus far on the Race. Hugging Obi-wan affectionately, she said, "You are a good friend. I'm sorry I worried."

He blushed as he took in her compliment. Lightening the mood he said, "You know... If Anakin is my brother then I suppose that would make you my sister."

"I suppose so," Padme replied, bringing another glass of wine to her lips

"Well, I've always wanted a sister-" Obi-wan began. Padme looked at him curiously.

"Why is that?" she wondered.

"So I could do this!" With a quick flick of his wrist, he tipped her glass forward and caused wine to splash on her face. With a shriek of laughter, she set after him, her brown eyes flashing withthe promise of retribution.

Obi-wan backed away, fumbling for the door panel to the main living suite. Just as she flung the rest of her wine at him, the door slid open...

...And the red liquid crashed down on top of an unsuspecting Mace Windu.


	17. Dead Man's Descent

**Author's Note:** _Hi everyone! I had a good time writing this chapter, hope you enjoy it! Thanks again for the reviews - hope you'll continue the trend! You guys are the best!_

Anakin felt his mouth drop open as he took in the scene. Padme was frozen in place as she stared in horror at what she had done. Obi-wan's eyebrows were arched in surprise and Master Windu... Well, he was squeezing his eyes shut to keep the wine from running into them.

_So, this is how it's going to end. I'm going to be struck down defending Padme from an enraged Jedi Master covered in red wine. Thanks a lot, Obi-wan. Some Master you are, _Anakin thought glumly.

Finally, Padme seemed to emerge from her stupor. Running for the kitchen, she returned with a handful of soft towels and offered them to Mace, pressing them into his hands. Reaching up, he dabbed at the red liquid before finally opening his eyes, his mouth stretched in a firm line. Walking forward, he kept his back to the group as he faced the far wall.

"Oh, Master Windu, please forgive me," Padme pleaded. "I simply lost my head for a moment there. We've been under such pressure and I was anxious to get Master Kenobi back for an earlier prank... And, well, I'm very sorry."

"No, Padme, you mustn't take the blame for this," Obi-wan interjected. "Master Windu, it was my fault. I was teasing the Senator and you came in on the back end of it. The fault lies with me. I realize my behavior was not appropriate, especially for a Jedi."

Anakin edged his way towards his wife, keeping a watchful eye on the angry, wine-soaked Master. Concerned, he watched Mace's shoulders begin to tremble before a loud burst of laughter echoed throughout the room. Startled, Anakin rocked back on his heels as the Jedi Master turned towards them.

"Please Senator, Master Kenobi - there is no need to apologize," he insisted in between gulps of laughter. "You should see the looks on your faces. Ah, yes, that is retribution enough."

Padme sagged against the wall, relieved beyond belief. She released her death grip on Anakin's tunic and smoothed the wrinkles away. After a moment, she began to snicker and her hands flew up to her mouth to try to stifle the sound. But then she caught a glance of Obi-wan's stunned expression which only made her laugh harder.

Anakin wondered if the universe had suddenly turned upside down as he watched the two Jedi Masters chuckling deeply while his wife wiped away tears before dissolving into another fit of giggles. Shaking his head, he simply retreated to the kitchen and finished the dinner preparations.

**ONE HOUR LATER**

Padme scooped up a forkful of rice as she listened to Obi-wan as he outlined the proposed plan for landing on Plauu. She tried to ignore the warning bells that were going off in her brain. _They are Jedi,_ she told herself. _They know what they are doing. Trust them._

But she couldn't shake the feeling there was something more sinister going on. _I'm just being paranoid. Those cursed visions are making me question everything. Get a grip!_

"Padme," she heard Anakin say and she brought her attention back to the conversation at hand.

"Yes?" she replied. The hand holding her fork stopped in mid-air as she met his gaze steadily. She had a feeling she wasn't going to like what was coming next.

She was right.

"We're going to need you to stay with the ships. If you see any trouble, you must leave immediately - don't wait for us," Anakin explained. Mace nodded, obviously in full agreement as he took a long sip of his tea.

Padme was silent for a moment as she felt anger bubble up inside her.

"Anakin Skywalker! I have come all this way and now you're going to just leave me with the ships? If you'll remember, I held my own in the Battle of Geonosis!" She huffed, indignant. "Look, I might not be a Jedi, but I can help! And don't you think I have a _right _to find out what's causing all these visions?"

Anakin shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Mace's eyebrows were raised to what would have been his hairline as he absorbed her uncharacteristic outburst. Obi-wan merely looked serene and nodded as if he understood her anger.

Padme returned her utensil to the plate and flexed her fingers, trying to work the blood back into her white knuckles. She tried to calm herself and blocked Anakin's tentative probe into her mind. Flashing him a frustrated look, she took a deep breath and began to speak in the best diplomatic voice she could muster.

"I understand that you may not think I can keep up, but I will, I promise." Her voice dropped to a whisper as she continued, "Please, I don't want to just sit in that blasted ship, wondering if I'm going to see the three of you again. Don't make me do that."

Anakin's eyes softened as he took in her words, but the worry did not leave his expression. Disappointment began to creep into her as she saw him slowly shake his head, but Obi-wan quickly interrupted.

"Padme, it's not that we don't need you," he promised solemnly. "You are quite a warrior yourself and dead accurate with a blaster. However, the visions that are plaguing you are incredibly unpredictable. And as we draw closer to the source and to this weapon, there's a chance the pull might become too hard for you to resist."

Stunned, she felt her heart flutter with fear as his words began to sink in. _It would be like Master Windu said. I could become trapped in that nightmare. Forever._

"We can't take that chance," Anakin stated, his words pleading. She could read the emotion behind that sentence as clear as if he were speaking it directly_. Padme, I can't lose you. I couldn't bear it. Please._

Resigned, she nodded and stabbed a piece of fruit with her fork. Before bringing it to her mouth, she forced a smile and said, "Very well. I understand your position. I will stay with the ships."

_For a little while at least..._

**LATER THAT NIGHT**

Padme watched the Jedi Masters bid Anakin a good evening before heading into the cold night. She was glad they were in the adjoining cabin as the weather had turned downright frigid. As the doors slid shut behind their cloaked figures, Artoo activated the extra security code and retreated to the far corner, shutting himself down.

With a sigh, Padme dropped onto the cushioned sofa and watched Anakin approach her nervously. They hadn't spoken much since their altercation at dinner and she knew it was bothering him. As much as she hated fighting with him, she knew Anakin hated it even more. Wanting to soothe away his worries, she held out her hands in a gesture of forgiveness and warmth. He crossed the distance hurriedly and swept her into his arms.

They didn't actually exchange verbal apologies until much, much later.

**OUTSIDE CABINS OF JEEPA - NEXT MORNING**

Padme craned her neck, searching for any sign of their ships, but came up empty. She turned to Anakin but he simply shrugged, not spotting anything either.

Her ears caught a rustling sound as Obi-wan and Mace emerged from their cabin. Mace was wearing one of the warm fuzzy hats they had won the day before and had tied it under his chin securely. He was frowning as his legs came into contact with the deep snow. Taking giant steps, he reached the platform quickly, Obi-wan a few seconds behind.

"Good morning," Padme greeted, her teeth chattering slightly. Anakin wrapped an arm around her, trying valiantly to keep her warm.

Finally, the hologram beeped on and four pairs of eyes turned towards it. The voiceover stated, "Welcome to the Seventh Leg of _Racing Through the Stars_. As you may have noticed, your ships are not stationed here as they have been in previous legs. That's because we're starting this leg with a challenge. Teams will fasten runners to their boots and ski down Dead Man's Descent. Your ships are waiting for you at the bottom, along with your next clue."

Turning, Padme hurried towards the giant basket, where she could see several pairs of the aforementioned runners sticking out of the top. The several layers of clothing she was wearing made running awkward, but she moved as quickly as she could. _Hopefully all these layers will protect me during what will surely be a spectacular fall at the bottom,_ she thought dispassionately. Anakin laughed quietly as he caught her line of thinking.

She quickly locked the runners in place, remembering to fasten them tightly over her boots as she had done with the iceblades. Turning around was not very easy and she almost eliminated her chance for children with Anakin as the tip of her ski grazed his midsection. He paled momentarily before regaining his composure and sliding backwards, moving out of her range. "Sorry!" she called sheepishly. She grimaced and continued to straighten herself out.

Finally, she realized she could use the provided poles to navigate herself a bit better and she made her way towards the hillside. As she slid past Obi-wan, he promptly tipped over and got stuck in the snow, causing Anakin to make a big show out of coming over to help him up. Padme looked over at Mace and smiled at the Jedi Master's determination. He leaned back slowly and then sprang forward, zooming down the hill at an alarming rate.

_Well,_ she thought nervously. _Here goes nothing._

Mimicking Mace's actions, she pushed off and raced down the hill, bending her knees to absorb the impact of the small bumps. Her eyes began to water as the wind whipped past her head, her body continuing to pick up speed. Suddenly aware that she had no way to stop, she began to issue a litany of very salty words, the curses not losing any impact even though they were shrieked in silence. She could feel Anakin's surprise at her knowledge of some of them, but her panic quickly knocked his thoughts aside.

The small corner of her mind that was still rational realized the ground had finally leveled out and she sailed across it, wincing as she saw the giant snow bank in the distance. Dragging her poles in the dense snow, they were suddenly ripped from her grasp and her arms spun like windmills as she fought to keep her balance. With a cry of reluctance, she plowed into the piles of fluffy snow, feeling her breath leave her body in a _whoosh._

She blinked the snow out of her eyes, and realized she was staring up at a perfectly clear sky. She was certain a group of angels were going to fly by at any moment. Suddenly, a smiling Master Windu peered down at her and she raised a gloved hand to her forehead.

"Am I dead?" she asked. He simply laughed and hauled her out of the snow, setting her next to a disheveled Obi-wan.

Much to her aggravation, Anakin had come to a complete stop several yards away and was already out of his runners, striding confidently towards her. She unlocked the straps from her boots and stepped free, kicking them away in her haste. Her gaze softened as she looked towards Anakin.

"Oh, if that isn't a sight for sore eyes," she breathed. Her face radiated sheer joy.

Realizing the intimate words were spoken in front of his Masters, Anakin looked down at his feet, blushing. Much to his surprise, Padme brushed past him and headed for the ship, exclaiming happily as she boarded.

With a frown, he followed.


	18. Explore or Implore

**Author's Note:** _Hey all! I don't know if I'm going to be able to update over the weekend. I will be in town, but slammed with bunches of errands to run and chores to complete. (Yuck). I'll definitely get back to it on Monday. In the meantime, it is my pleasure to present the next chapter! Thanks for the reviews!_

_**00000**_

As Anakin boarded the ship, he punched in the launch sequence and heard the ramp begin to clank as it retracted into the belly of the ship. Waving at Artoo, he continued towards the front of the ship where Padme already had the messaging system up and running.

As he lowered himself into the pilot's seat, she expertly punched in the code and they watched the hologram pop into view. The now-familiar voiceover began to speak, "Teams must now travel to Planet Binkai and set their ships down in Sector 78-B where the next clue is waiting."

Before the voiceover had even finished speaking, Anakin had the starmap up and running and he and Padme searched it frantically. "There!" Padme called. The color drained from her face as she whispered, "It's awfully close to Plauu."

His face grim, Anakin simply replied, "Yes, it is."

Determined, his fingers flew over the control panel as he programmed the coordinates. Looking over at Padme's worried face, he vowed to keep her safe.

**SHIP OF DAKE AND TARV - SAME TIME**

Obi-wan smiled as the door slid shut, sealing him inside the warm ship. He shrugged out of his thick overcoat and hung it on a peg in the storage closet. He hurried to the front of the ship where Mace was already playing the clue.

"That's not very team oriented behavior, Tarv," he said mildly.

Mace ignored him and repeated the clue impatiently. Searching the starmap, they found the planet fairly quickly and looked at each other as they spotted the neighboring planet.

"So, this is it? Should we go ahead and contact Anakin? He has an encrypted comlink with him-" Obi-wan began.

"No," Mace replied, searching the Force. Satisfied, he leaned back in his chair and stated, "The time is almost right. But not yet."

**PLANET BINKAI, SECTOR 78-B - THREE HOURS LATER**

Anakin held his breath as he set the ship down on the barren planet. His senses were on edge as he watched Mace land his ship several yards away. Finally, he disengaged the engines and lowered the ramp.

"The Guardians must not have suspected anything," Anakin said, shooting a relieved glance at Padme.

"The intelligence the Council received must be right," Padme mused. "There were too many of those ships guarding that planet for the weapon to still be in a developmental stage."

"You're right," Anakin agreed. "And from their positioning, it looks like they may be ready to act. Several of those ships were transports."

Padme reached out to Anakin through their Bond and felt his soothing presence. She could feel Anakin grab on to her signature and she settled into his mind's comforting embrace.

_Stay with me. I need to know you're safe. Whatever happens, don't let our connection be broken._

_I won't, Anakin. No matter what._

Hand-in-hand, they left the ship and headed for the hologram. Obi-wan and Mace fell into step beside them as Padme glanced curiously at a large wrecked battle ship that lay submerged in the ground several yards away. Her mind caught fragments of the conversation going on between the Jedi.

_Shouldn't we strike now?_

_Patience, young one. The shields won't drop for several more hours._

The voiceover began, cutting off any further discussion: "Welcome to Binkai. You have reached a Divergence and must choose your path - Explore or Implore." The image changed to show the crumpled ship that Padme had spotted immediately. "In Explore, teams will have to navigate the wreckage of a U8-9PY freighter to find three kiosks. Each kiosk will dispense a portion of your next clue - contestants must assemble the fragments to form the next clue. The kiosks are easy to spot, but a U8-9PY is quite large, so navigating it may take some time."

There was a pause before the image changed to show a large city with many residential dwellings. "In Implore, teams will have to fly to Sector 95-G and ask for donations for a new housing community. Teams will receive their next clue when they turn in 150 credits to the Mayor. The Sector is known for its wealth, but the project is not well publicized so reaching your monetary goal may be difficult."

The political implications from the Implore challenge struck a chord within Padme as the thought, _Hmmm... A new housing community. How delightful! I wonder if it benefits the children of the commun-_

Her thoughts were cut off abruptly as the three Jedi called, "Explore!" Watching the three men make a dash for the imposing ship, she shook her head and followed, climbing into the hulking structure a few seconds behind them. As she drew herself up to her full height, she took a moment to let her eyes adjust to the darkness. Spotting Anakin standing a few feet in front of her, she reached for the back of his tunic.

_And as he turned, she found herself looking into the empty sockets of a white skull. Suddenly, the empty eyes began to glow red..._

She clamped her mouth shut before a scream could escape. Hearing the strangled noise she made, Anakin gripped her hand, studying her intently. She raised her eyebrows, feigning confusion at his serious expression and pressed forward, not wanting to reveal her vision. She carefully shielded her thoughts from Anakin and instead focused on sending him a rush of reassurance through their Bond.

_He has enough to worry about. I won't have him being distracted by these visions,_ she thought. _I will get a handle on this._

Padme felt the ground began to descend and she realized she was on a ramp of some sort. The light from their hovering camera droid made things a little easier to navigate, but she was still careful, painfully aware that there were still many dangers in a battle ship, no matter what its status.

"I think we need to go to the lower level," Anakin mused. Padme groaned quietly as she realized that meant taking the stairs - and lots of them. She followed them to the center of the ship and watched Obi-wan and Mace start down the stairwell, Anakin close on their heels. Her foot was poised over the top step when she felt a breeze stir the hair at the nape of her neck. Startled, she reached a hand out, feeling the cool air pass by her fingertips.

Feeling along the wall, she found the seam of a concealed door. Pulling with all her might, she inched it open and peered inside. She fumbled in her utility belt before pulling out a light stick. Holding it above her head, she studied the cavernous room, gingerly stepping forward.

Suddenly, the floor fell away from under her feet and she found herself falling. She cried out in surprise as she tumbled into the darkness. Reaching out desperately, her fingers caught on a ledge, stopping her sharply and she held on tight, her shoulders straining with the effort. She clenched her jaw against the pain and slowly pulled herself up. When she finally scrambled onto the small outcropping, she sighed in relief. Peeking over the edge, she saw her fallen light stick, glowing faithfully several stories down.

She jerked as she heard Anakin's frantic voice in her head. _PADME!_

She took a moment to calm her trembling and responded confidently,_ Ani, I'm fine. I just didn't want to go all the way down those stairs so I took a more... direct... route. _

_How can you possibly joke at a time like this? _

She paused for a moment as she realized there was another opening behind her. She pulled out another light stick and crawled forward, squeezing under the heavy door. Blinking her eyes, she realized she was in a wide corridor. She headed for the far wall, spotting a bright glimmer of something in the distance.

_Padme? Where are you?_

She grinned before she replied, staring at the sight before her. Finally, she responded and she could feel Anakin relax at her words.

_I'm in front of one of the kiosks. And where are you, my Jedi Knight? I don't believe you are being very efficient._

He didn't reply to her teasing question, but she could sense his amusement. Straining her ears, she could hear the thundering footsteps approaching her from below. She knew he would find her.

He always did.

Turning, she placed a hand on the kiosk's console and a piece of parchment dropped out. She unfurled it and read, _Travel to Sector 84-..._

She rolled the clue back up and turned to find Anakin, Obi-wan and Mace jogging towards her. She smiled at them warmly and hugged Anakin tightly when he pulled her into his arms.

"Liri, did you realize there is a more traditional route to get to this hallway?" Obi-wan asked dryly.

"Yes, thank you for that helpful snippet of information, Dake," she retorted saucily.

Together, the foursome retraced their steps and headed back down the dark hallway. But this time, Padme was in the middle of the group. Looking around at the faces of her Jedi protectors, she decided she didn't mind.

Not one little bit.


	19. Burning Up

**Author's Note:** _Hi everyone! Thank you for the wonderful reviews! And another round of applause to those of you who have stopped in to read some of my one-shots. I love hearing from you – when I see your name pop up, it's like seeing a familiar face. I am truly fortunate to have such support. Hope you like today's chapter! Let me know! (Hellish Red Devil, I have a feeling the last part is right up your alley!) _

_**00000**_

Padme's feet began to ache as they pounded the unforgiving surface of the freighter's floor. They had been up and down several floors and had not found any signs of the other kiosks. She almost wished she would fall down another hole if it meant finding something, but her aching shoulders kept her from actually speaking the thought out loud.

Finally, they rounded the corner and entered what had once been a weapons room. Padme blanched at the sight of the laser canons and other instruments of destruction. A feeling of relief swept through her when a second kiosk lit up along the far wall, effectively distracting her from the grim contemplation. Hanging back slightly, she watched Anakin press on the center console, causing another piece of parchment to slide out. He quickly unrolled it and relayed the clue quickly:

_"...KG. For their next challenge, teams will need to enter the Central... _And that's where it stops."

"So, we need to go to Sector 84-KG where we're going to participate in some sort of a challenge," Padme mused, piecing together the clues.

"The final clue should tell us more," Mace added, tucking his copy into his utility belt.

"And I think I might know where it might be," Anakin offered, heading for the staircase. Hurrying up the stairs, he began to explain, "Thus far, the clues have been in areas imperative to a crew's survival. The first kiosk was in the galley, the second was in the weapon's room. Well, if you think about it, every crew member's survival truly hinges on one person..." With that, he trailed off as they came to a stop in front of a heavily reinforced door that had been blown off the hinges.

_The Captain's Quarters, _Padme realized. Obi-wan and Mace looked at Anakin with a touch of pride in their gazes as the third kiosk blinked to life. Moments later, Padme unrolled the clue and read the final installment of the three-part riddle - _...Command Aviation Field and find the marked jet packs. _

As they ran back through the ship, Padme felt the adrenaline begin to surge through her body.

_We're one step closer... _

_Ready or not._

**SHIP OF LIRI AND KAIDE - THIRTY MINUTES LATER**

Padme watched Anakin frown in concentration as he tinkered with a spare engine part. Setting it aside, he checked the hidden compartment that held his light saber. He removed the faithful weapon and examined it thoroughly. Apparently satisfied, he returned it to its hiding place and replaced the panel, running his fingers over the seamless edges. Normally, she wouldn't think anything of it.

But this was his tenth inspection.

She put a soft hand on his arm and his eyes met hers reluctantly. She was startled by the look of worry on his face and poured her concern for him into their bond. She remained motionless for several moments, certain he would speak when he had his thoughts gathered.

She was right.

"I'm being overwhelmed by a terrible feeling of anxiety," he confessed, the words so soft she almost missed them. "Something is coming and I have no idea what it is or how to prepare."

"Whatever it is, you'll meet it with bravery and strength," she insisted. He smiled slightly, soothed by her statement. His thumbs brushed a light pattern over the backs of her hands before he stood up and headed for the front of the ship.

Padme stayed for a few moments longer before heading over to Artoo. She kneeled in front of him and entered a query, deftly punching in the top secret codes. He studied her silently before answering with an affirmative beep, the tone quiet and sure. Relieved, she stood and joined Anakin in the cockpit.

**CENTRAL COMMAND AVIATION FIELD - MAIN HANGER**

Padme scarcely noticed the large crowd that had gathered to watch the challenge, the fans anxious to see the famous faces of _Racing Through the Stars._ Rushing towards her jet pack, she jumped at the sudden cheer that went up as she and Anakin came into full view. Forcing a bright smile, she waved before slipping on the jet pack and detaching the dangling clue.

"Use your jet pack to navigate across the Molten River. On the far bank, contestants will need to ascend the Spike of Binkai before shedding the devices. Don't stop now! Your next clue is waiting," she read, her voice straining to be heard over the excited crowd. Anakin nodded emphatically to indicate he understood as he eased into his own jet pack. Meanwhile, Obi-wan and Mace were frowning at the several female fans calling their names and gesturing frantically.

Laughing quietly, Padme tucked the clue into her boot and yanked the starter cord, listening as the small rockets hissed to life. She brought up the main controls and snapped them into place, grasping the shifters easily in her hands. Tentatively, she pushed the throttle away from her body and gasped as she lunged forward, her toes dragging on the ground.

_Okay, there must be a way to rise off the ground,_ she thought, stopping to review the controls. _Otherwise, I'll burn my feet off before I get 10 yards offshore._

Spotting a prominent yellow icon, she pressed it down and held it while she tried again. Her patience was rewarded as she steadily rose off the ground and headed forward, her boots now dangling several feet off the floor below.

_That's more like it!_ she cheered silently. Glancing to the side, she watched the three Jedi propel themselves along the ground, refusing to examine the controls in their hurry to gain a good position. A small trail of dust followed their every move as their boots scraped and bumped along the hard ground.

_Ani – try pushing the yellow button._ Her telepathic instructions were met with silence as he focused solely on gaining a lead over the Jedi Masters. Shaking her head, she maneuvered herself to the exit and flew into the meadow. The echoes of the crowd's fading cheers rang in her ears as she grinned.

Now that she was out in the open, she pushed the controls even harder, laughing in delight as the wind whipped through her hair, causing her braid to spin crazily behind her. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Anakin slowly rise up from the ground as he finally figured out how to operate the finicky machinery. She sensed him giving instructions to Obi-wan and Mace and soon they were also climbing for the sky.

Reluctant to cross the churning lava alone, she hovered over the embankment until Anakin caught up, the two Jedi Masters by his side. With a nod, the foursome started across the fierce looking river and Padme instinctively drew her legs up as they began to sting from the oppressive heat.

_Suddenly, she heard the rockets on Anakin's jet pack sputter and cut out. He fixed her with a fearful look as he slowly sank towards the fire below. She shoved at her controls, trying to dive after him, but the jet pack didn't respond. In the end, she could only watch helplessly as his boots made contact with the molten liquid. His screams mingled with her own as she watched him slowly sink out of sight. His eyes were the last thing to vanish as they bored into her soul, staring at her accusingly._

_In the sudden silence, she could hear his thoughts reverberating through her tortured mind._

_Why didn't you save me, Padme? _

_Why?_

_**NO! **_

_**You will not take him!**_

She shook her head, desperate to clear the horrifying images from her mind. The three Jedi looked at her worriedly and she pretended not to notice as she fumbled with her controls. She was squeezing them so hard, a detached part of her mind was surprised they didn't snap.

Finally, a cooling breeze drew the attention away from her and they all glanced up as the curtain of steam parted. A tall, black tower could be seen in the distance. _The Spike of Binkai!_

Padme twisted her controls to the right and the jet pack responded instantly. Her eyes never left the regal structure, afraid to acknowledge the fiery stream below.

For she knew what she would see - a pair of blue eyes, mere seconds before they burst into flames.

Despite the scalding temperature that surrounded her, she shivered.


	20. Discouraged

**Author's Note**: _Thanks for the reviews! You all know how to make me smile! It's such a treat to hear from each and every one of you! We are slowly heading into Grand Finale territory. Still have quite a bit to go though. Hope you'll stay with me!_

Padme's fingers manipulated the controls and the jet pack immediately began to ascend. She watched the dark tower come closer as she aimed for the open balcony. Slowing her speed, she eased over the protective railing and breathed a sigh of relief as her feet touched the floor. She quickly shut the jet pack down and slipped it off her shoulders. It hit the ground with a _clunk_ and she slid it out of the way as Anakin landed beside her. The small camera droid zoomed along behind him, filming the surrounding area.

"Are you all right?" he asked immediately, his voice gentle and soft.

"Now that I'm on the ground, yes - I'm definitely doing better," she replied, keeping her tone light.

Any further conversation was halted by Mace's strangled shout of warning as he came in too fast and skidded across the slick surface. Obi-wan followed him, smiling serenely as he settled onto the floor gracefully.

Springing to his feet, Mace grumbled, "Clearly, my jet pack was not functioning properly."

"Clearly," Obi-wan said, a note of amusement creeping into his voice.

Grateful for the distraction, Padme hurried to the illuminated metal bin where a stack of clues could be seen. She reached in and pulled one out, reading nervously, "Teams must now rappel down the Spike of Binkai and enter the Arena below. A hologram is waiting to issue the next clue."

Anakin was already prowling the perimeter and called out as he found the rappelling equipment. Padme could feel her heart leap into her throat as she glanced over the edge and saw the twinkling lights of the arena far below. Taking a steadying breath, she slipped on the harness and deftly attached the thick cable. She started over the edge and was about to swing her other leg over when she felt a hand on her ankle.

Turning, she came face-to-face with her worried husband. She sat in silence while he checked her harness and added another knot to her cable. Apparently satisfied, he gazed at her lovingly before leaning in for a deep kiss. In a low voice, he insisted, "Be careful."

She nodded and once again began the nerve wracking descent. She had only gone a short distance when the wind picked up and she felt her cable begin to sway. Suddenly, her grip on the handholds slipped and she could only flail helplessly as the wind swung her away from the building. She gasped as the direction of the wind changed, slamming her into the building awkwardly. Despite the startling impact, she was able to hold onto the structure and didn't move until the wind died away. Coughing quietly, she resumed her journey.

After several long agonizing minutes, she reached the halfway point and stopped to rest her aching legs. The Jedi were scrambling at a pretty good clip down the building, glancing up occasionally to check her progress.

"How are you doing up there, Liri?" Mace asked, raising his voice to be heard over the light wind.

"I'm okay, I promise!" she responded. She smiled at their upturned faces, grateful for their comforting presence - and the fact that they had apparently missed her clumsy battle with the wind earlier. Anxious to return to the solid ground below, she adjusted her cable and continued making steady progress.

Anakin was waiting for her as she zipped through the last distance and helped her escape the confines of her harness. She had just tossed the items aside as the hologram blinked to life.

The familiar voiceover began to speak, "You have reached a Blockade, a task only one person can perform. Now, who doesn't mind taking on a crowd?" Stepping forward, Padme and Obi-wan looked at each other nervously as they donned the bright red tunics they were given. Immediately, the voiceover continued:

"The selected contestants will enter the Arena and partake in a game of Discourage, the beloved pastime enjoyed by generations across the Galaxy. Your objective is to capture one of the Spheres the teams are tossing back and forth. Unfortunately, they will be doing everything they can to keep them out of your reach. But don't give up! Each sphere contains a copy of the next clue and of course, you must have that before you can proceed. Have fun!" And with that snarky comment the hologram disappeared.

Two droids appeared to escort Mace and Anakin to a spectator suite. Padme watched them go before following Obi-wan into the main entry tunnel, cringing at the deafening cheers. Several droids struggled to push open the wide wooden doors, their actions slowly revealing the main playing field.

"Oh my," she breathed, taking in the sight. The building was enormous - similar in size to the infamous arena on Geonosis. Several dozen players ran in various patterns, their green tunics flapping around them as they lobbed glowing spheres from one area to another. A capacity crowd filled the stands, applauding the athletes' efforts.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Obi-wan groaned before heading into the fray. With a deep breath, Padme followed.

"Welcome, my friends!" a deep voice boomed through the loudspeaker. The crowd quieted and the announcer began the introductions, "Two of our favorite contestants have just entered the Arena. Clad in the bright red tunics of the Hunters, let's give a warm welcome to Liri and Dake!" Padme smiled as the crowd erupted in excitement. Obi-wan merely fidgeted and looked mortified.

"Of course, their loyal partners are here too. Let's send greetings to them as well - Kaide and Tarv!" Padme searched the stands until her eyes came to rest on Anakin, who was watching her intently. She waved at him shyly which sent the crowd into another fit of merriment.

"In the green tunics, we have some of our finest countrymen working as Avoiders. They are the protectors of the Spheres, which hold the clues the Hunters so desperately seek. Oh yes, what a game we're going to have here! It's time to get Discouraged!" With that, a low whistle echoed throughout the enclosure and the game was on.

Padme sprinted towards the nearest sphere, tracking it with her eyes. Suddenly, a compact purple fur-ball leapt into the air, redirecting its trajectory. _Goprays!_ she thought in alarm. The species had some of the most highly decorated athletes in the entire Galaxy. _Oh no. This is not going to be easy._

She was right.

45 minutes later, she was doubled over with her hands on her knees, sucking in deep gulps of air. The kindly announcer had finally called a time-out and she was so grateful to him she could have kissed him. Obi-wan stood a few feet away, looking disgusted by his inability to use the Force. He was also studiously ignoring the furious glare Mace was directing his way.

Padme's gaze fell to Anakin as he studied the players on the field, no doubt searching for some sort of a threat. Feeling her eyes on him, he smiled at her and gestured encouragingly.

_You're doing great! I love you!_

She was startled from her reverie by another low whistle, indicating the break time was over. Feeling a renewed sense of determination, Padme bounded after the closest orb, groaning as another Gopray batted it out of her reach. She stood poised as another sphere was volleyed around in her general vicinity. She watched in grim satisfaction as the athletes grew overconfident, their moves becoming sloppy. Sure enough, the sphere hit the ground after a failed catch and she pounced -

- Along with 12 Avoiders.

Padme gave a cry of victory as her hands gripped the wayward prize. Her moment of joy was cut short, however, as she realized she was at the bottom of a squirming heap and it was getting somewhat difficult to breathe.

"I have it! Please, let me up!" she called, her voice betraying her nerves. Wrapping her body around the sphere, she frantically searched for a way out. Spots began to cloud her vision as she watched the faces contort above her, straining to reach the Sphere she clutched in her hands. Suddenly, something red caught her attention.

_Obi-wan?_ She wondered. _Yes, he's wearing a red jersey too,_ she remembered.

She blinked a few times, trying to bring him into focus. With growing horror, she watched the image draw closer and realized she wasn't looking at the friendly Jedi Master, but at a pair of blood-red eyes filled with furious hatred.

She dug her boots into the soft ground and pushed away with all her might. She slid backward slightly, escaping the majority of the huddle and allowing for a deep breath of fresh air. She heard a sharp chime and the remaining Avoiders gave up their challenge, bowing to her respectfully. She watched Obi-wan hurry towards her protectively and she accepted the hand he extended to help her up. She discreetly searched the gazes of the chagrined athletes before her and they smiled sheepishly, not a trace of anger visible in their expressions.

_Perhaps the vision was a simple result of my panic,_ she thought. Still, the memory of the disturbing threat reflected in the monstrous eyes caused a flicker of fear to burn quietly in her heart.

Stepping a safe distance away from the group, she brought the Sphere above her head as the crowd roared in approval. With a fierce grin, she let it slip from her hands and watched as the object dissolved in mid-air, sending the clue fluttering to the ground.

The captivating sight was broken as a frustrated call of, "HURRY UP, DAKE!" echoed through the stands.


	21. Pedal to the Metal

**Author's Note:** _Wow! Thanks for staying with me all this time, my wonderful readers! Your reviews have truly kept me inspired and on track. Please, continue to let me know what you think!_

_**00000**_

Grabbing Anakin with one hand and the clue with the other, Padme quickly headed for the exit while giving the Avoiders a wide berth. She had seen that look on her husband's face before - it was moments before he had executed a jaw-dropping Force shove. She had no wish to repeat the experience and knew the athletes would thank her if they only knew.

Standing between Anakin and the Arena entrance, Padme opened the clue and began to read, glad for the distraction:

_"You have completed the Blockade! Well done! Teams must now travel by Pedal Ships to the Race's Seventh Destination! You must hurry! The last team may be eliminated."_

"Pedal Ships? What are those?" she wondered. She turned to Anakin who didn't seem to be paying the least bit of attention. Her suspicions were confirmed when he began to speak.

"I can't believe what they did! Jumping on you like that - you could have been smothered!" he seethed. "I need to go in there and have a _word_ with them-" With a huff, he immediately started past her and she winced as she imagined the forthcoming scene.

Moments later, she heard the sounds of a scuffle and she put a hand to her head, trying to massage away the looming headache. Her ears pricked up at the sound of a familiar voice and she sighed in relief as Obi-wan emerged from the dark hallway, gripping Anakin's upper arm tightly.

"Ah, young Kaide," he beamed. "It is so kind of you to come and check on our progress. Never fear, we have completed the task and are ready to race you to the finish. I believe our next order of business is to find some - Pedal Ships?"

"Yes, that is correct," Mace added, looking at Anakin sternly. Padme watched her husband slowly relax and quickly went to him, taking her hand in his.

Glancing around, the four pairs of eyes seemed to land on the speeder-like ships at the same instant. The tension broken, they began to sprint, straining to capture the lead as they called out good-natured taunts. Avoiding the dust they were kicking up, the camera droids hung back, filming from a distance.

As she drew closer, Padme instantly spotted the ship with "Liri and Kaide" emblazoned on the side. On one fluid motion, she jumped aboard and scooted to the side as Anakin slid in next to her. Instinctively, he studied the controls, shocked by the absence of any engines or power sources.

Grinning, Padme explained, "I think it is up to us to make it go." With that, she put her feet on the platforms and began to push her feet down, moving them in a circular motion. With a start, Anakin realized they were actually moving. He quickly mimicked her efforts and soon they were sailing across the ground, Mace and Obi-wan arguing loudly a few yards behind them.

Spotting the host droid in the distance, Padme doubled her efforts as Obi-wan and Mace drew even. The Jedi Masters were pouring every ounce of determination into their performance and she knew it was going to be another close finish. As the mat came into view, Padme engaged the brake and cringed at the shrieking noise the ship made as it shuddered to a stop. Leaping from her seat, she felt Anakin grab her hand and they raced to the mat, stepping on it seconds after Obi-wan and Mace.

"Welcome to the Seventh Destination of _Racing Through the Stars, _the Binkai Dormitories. Tarv and Dake, you are Team number two. Liri and Kaide, you are Team number three. Congratulations! I must say, these two teams have formed quite an alliance, haven't you?"

With a grin, Obi-wan replied, "You have no idea."

Padme and Anakin struggled to hold in their laughter as they simply nodded.

**BINKAI DORMITORIES, ROOM E189 - TWO HOURS LATER**

"The ships have already been brought around back," Mace explained. Padme inched forward in her seat, listening to every word intently. "Plauu's orbit will be closest to us in approximately one hour and its shields will drop to avoid interfering with the Binkain atmosphere."

"And that's when we will make our move," Anakin concluded, his face a mask of grim resolve.

"Yes. Remember, we only have a half-hour to get our ships through and on the ground," Obi-wan explained. "There can be no mistakes."

Padme nodded, her stomach jumping with nerves.

"Senator, if you'd like to finish getting ready, we have a few more things to discuss with Anakin," Mace prompted, sensing her uneasiness. Grateful for the opportunity to keep busy, she nodded and started for the bedroom suite.

She waited calmly for the door to slide shut behind her. Hearing it lock into place, she darted for the 'fresher and braced her hands against the counter, her breaths coming in nervous gasps. Suddenly haunted by the silence of the small room, she switched on the faucets, letting the roar of the rushing water fill her ears.

_This is it. _

_The end of the nightmare is finally within reach._

_Or is it only the beginning?_

She ignored the sickening thought as her eyes came to rest on her reflection in the mirror. Absently, she adjusted a few hair pins, wanting to make sure her hair was secure and out of her way. Satisfied, she reached for her utility belt, snapping it around the waist of her dark green tunic. She had picked the color of her clothing carefully, intending to blend in amongst the leafy plants Plauu was known for.

_Just in case…_

She heard the bedroom door slide open and switched off the water, spotting Anakin lounging inside the door frame. He was clad in his usual Jedi clothing, a dark cloak tossed casually over his shoulder. His utility belt looked strangely empty without his light saber. By the way his hand rested near its mounting clip, she could tell its absence was bothering him.

"Don't worry - it will be waiting for you on the ship," she assured him teasingly.

He flushed slightly as he grinned, "Am I that obvious?"

"Only to me," she retorted, tilting her face to his for a kiss. After a long moment, she stepped away and slipped on her knee-high boots. They weren't her normal travel boots despite their similar appearance - no, these were meant for battle and had the rock hard tips to prove it. As she started to return to the main room, Anakin caught her wrist and pulled her to him once again.

"If anything happens out there, I expect to see those ships leaving Plauu's atmosphere. Promise me, Padme. Please," he whispered, low and urgent.

Her face was fierce and her voice strong as she said, "If it becomes necessary, those ships will leave Plauu. I promise."

_But I won't be on either of them..._

**BEHIND BINKAI DORMITORIES - SHIP OF LIRI AND KAIDE - 45 MINUTES LATER**

Artoo removed his sensor from the ship's computer and whistled cheerfully.

"Pre-flight check completed successfully," Anakin called as he settled into the pilot's seat. Padme quickly relayed the information to Obi-wan through her comlink.

"Very good. Follow our lead," came the quick response. She watched as their ship slowly left the ground before streaking to the sky. There was a quiet rumble as they left the ground.

"I only hope they don't go the wrong direction," Anakin smirked, recalling his Masters' penchant for wrong turns. Padme laughed as she watched the tall dormitory fade from view. She pressed a hand to the glass wistfully.

Manipulating the controls easily, Anakin glanced over at her. There was a moment of silence before he asked, "Are you ready?"

Without pause, she turned towards him and replied, "Yes."


	22. Calm Before the Storm

**Author's Note: **_A huge thanks to Zan189, Hellish Red Devil, Eriks LeadingLady, Hopeless4Life and Meandmysharpie! (Insert big round of applause here). If I have any anonymous readers out there, please feel free to drop in as well! _

_Okay, here we go! Our favorite heroes have finally reached their dreaded destination – Plauu! _

**PLAUU - SEVERAL MILES FROM DIVIDED SYSTEMS HEADQUARTERS**

Padme watched Anakin navigate the maze of dense trees. They were in such thick cover that the branches could be heard scraping roughly against the sides of the ship. She breathed a sigh of relief as she felt the gentle thump that came with a successful landing.

Releasing her safety harness, she moved towards the rear of the ship and lowered the ramp. Obi-wan and Mace jumped onto the metal surface and were in the ship before the structure had even touched the ground. They squeezed her shoulder in a wordless greeting as they passed. It was startling to see them once again clad in their Jedi attire. She had actually gotten used to their casual wardrobe.

Shaking her head at the thought, she returned to the dim cockpit and saw Anakin clipping his light saber into place. She perched on the cushioned top of a utility bench and watched the Jedi Masters consulting a holographic map of the target building. Apparently satisfied, they switched it off and the image retreated into the thin metal disk, which Obi-wan quickly stuffed into the inner pocket of his cloak.

"Skywalker, it appears that the entrance with the fewest guards is on the Southwest corner. We will split up and meet there in 30 minutes," Mace instructed. Turning his keen eyes towards Padme, he continued, "Senator, it is imperative that you stay with the ships, safe and out of sight. If there is any sign of a struggle, or if we are not back by 0200 hours, leave us." He studied her carefully and she screened her thoughts discreetly, merely nodding her head instead. Finally, he continued, "Milady, may the Force be with you."

Swallowing thickly, she returned the sentiment as the Jedi Master exited the ship. Obi-wan stepped forward and clasped her hands gently, concerned by the iciness of her grip.

"Padme, I promise I shall keep a close eye on Anakin," he said solemnly. Behind him, Anakin snorted his disdain for the statement.

Obi-wan's voice warmed as he insisted, "Of course, that means you will owe me a fresh bottle of wine when this mission is over." At her skeptical look, he laughed and said, "Okay, I promise not to drink it anywhere in the vicinity of you or Master Windu. Be safe, my friend."

"You too, Obi-wan," she said.

Bowing before her gallantly, he swept down the ramp, his cloak swirling around his body in a deep brown blaze.

Smiling through her tears, Padme turned to Anakin and watched his approach. She sank into his arms and held onto him tight, afraid she might never get another chance. He placed a gentle hand under her chin and tilted her head back, bringing his lips to hers in a loving kiss. The gesture communicated everything that was churning inside their hearts but couldn't quite express.

Reluctantly, Anakin pulled away and she felt the loss deeply. Bringing her arms to her sides, she watched him give her a reassuring smile.

"I'll be back soon - long before 0200 hours," he promised. "Do you have your com-link?"

"Right here," she said, holding it up.

"Good. Keep it close - we will send you a signal if necessary." She paled at what his statement implied and her jaw tightened. Noticing her expression, he hastened to add, "Remember your promise about the ships."

"I remember," she said quietly.

"I love you," he choked, his blue eyes sparkling with sincerity.

"I love you too," she said.

But he was already gone.

**SHIP OF DAKE AND TARV - 40 MINUTES LATER**

She exited the cockpit, satisfied that the ship was prepared for an immediate departure. Moving quickly, she headed down the short corridor to the storage area. Pausing in front of two doors, she opened the one on the right and gasped at the sight that greeted her. The stoic, formal Jedi Masters apparently had been neglecting their housekeeping skills. The small closet was stuffed with articles of clothing, heaps of discarded clues, marked up datapads and planetary guidebook disks.

_Oh, what would the great Master Yoda say?_

Instantly, the diminutive Jedi Master's voice popped into her head.

_Clean up, you must! Live in disorganization, a Jedi cannot!_

Laughing quietly at her thoughts, she forced the door closed. Turning to the left, the door slid open and she let out a whoop of victory as she spotted what she was looking for. Reaching in, she pressed a button on the droid inside.

"Good evening, Mistress Padme," Threepio said formally. "I must say, it is very good to see you again. I am getting rather tired of staying in this stuffy closet. Master Dake and Tarv refuse to allow me to help them in any way. They say I am far too excitable. I do believe this racing competition has been far too divisive for my taste."

"I know what you mean," she responded dryly. "Threepio, I need your help."

"Of course," the golden droid acknowledged, easing his thin frame out of the cramped closet.

She handed him a small remote and began to issue the instructions. Threepio studied her intensely, committing the directions to memory.

Moments later, she settled the droid into the pilot's chair and headed for the middle of the ship. Not wanting the extra task of lowering and raising the ramp, she opted to exit through the emergency hatch. Sinking to her knees, she pried open the metal insert and dropped through the exposed opening, landing with a dull thud on the grassy surface below. Reaching up, she pulled it closed once again, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the sudden darkness.

As her sight returned to normal, she went through a quick perusal of the dark perimeter. _Still quiet._ Moving smoothly, she returned to the _Liri and Kaide, _pulling herself up through the floor once again. She checked her com-link and it seemed to be working properly. _Perhaps everything was going to be okay. _Artoo beeped at her softly, a question evident in his tone.

"I don't know, Artoo," Padme replied. "All we can do is hope."

**OUTSIDE DIVIDED SYSTEMS' HEADQUARTERS - SAME TIME**

Anakin leaned against the tree, hidden entirely by the leafy plants that separated him from the dark fortress. He sensed Obi-wan and Mace approaching and turned to meet them, their frowns visible even through the murky night.

"What?" Anakin whispered innocently. Reluctantly, he admitted, "Okay, so I tweaked my jet pack a little."

"This equipment was made specifically for this mission," Obi-wan hissed, easing the device from his shoulders. "What if you had damaged the muted sound buffer? The entire Divided Systems army could have heard you coming."

"I'm truly sorry, Master. I just wanted to make sure I made it to the rendezvous point on time so I increased its speed capabilities."

Obi-wan sent him a frustrated glare while Mace continued to frown. For a long moment, the only sound was the rustling of thick leaves as the wind stirred the stagnant night air and Anakin shifted from foot to foot, clearly uncomfortable. Finally, their attention was drawn away as they studied the heavy gate.

"Skywalker, where are the guards? Since you've been here so long, surely you've noticed a pattern?" Mace asked, his tone still indicating his disapproval.

"Shift change," Anakin replied quickly. "The next group of sentry droids will be out here in approximately 90 seconds."

"Let's go," Mace said flatly. Silently, they headed for the gate, careful to avoid the roaming spotlights. Taking up positions on each side of the entryway, there was only one thing they could do.

Wait.

_**00000**_

_The shadow cackled as he sensed his prey waiting just outside the reinforced doors. _

_The time had finally arrived! How tragic for the Jedi; how wonderful for him. _

_Soon he would have everything he desired._

_Including her._


	23. Parallels

**Author's Note:** _Hey everyone! Sorry to leave you with a cliffie over the weekend; it was just the natural place to end it. I will be back with more by Monday at the latest. Hope you enjoy! And thanks for the reviews, I adore your comments! I'm very fortunate to have such wonderful readers._

_**00000**_

Padme sat next to Artoo, her legs swinging nervously as her boots made small scraping noises on the floor. Anakin, Obi-wan and Mace had been gone for nearly two hours and her com-link still sat silent. _Like a tomb._

Her hands twisted in her lap, the actions mirroring the sensations that were swirling in her stomach. She gasped as an unexpected stab of fear and rage pierced her heart, the emotions so strong they pulled her out of her seat. For a few long moments, the only sounds in the cabin were her jagged breathing and the squeak of the empty pilot's chair, still swiveling violently behind her.

Her vision swam in front of her as she searched the room for a possible threat. There was nothing. She tried to tamp down the outrage that was fueling her body, but to no avail. Suddenly, she was overcome with weakness and sank to her knees.

_Anakin!_ _Oh no, something's happened!_

Artoo beeped alarmingly as he sensed her distress and stretched out a mechanical arm, tangling it in the folds of her cloak. _Anakin?_ She could hear him calling for her, but his words were garbled and thick.

_I can't understand- Ani, what's wrong?_

Shaking violently, she could only watch as Artoo pulled her to the emergency hatch, pushing her through the void quickly. She hit the ground hard and rested a moment, her breaths shallow and weak. Dimly, she was aware that Anakin's communication attempts had ceased. Spurred by the realization, her fingers dug into the soft ground and she slid forward, her progress slow but steady.

Once she was safely out of the way of the ship, she saw Artoo drop out of the opening and roll towards her protectively. She jerked as her com-link finally flickered to life and heard Obi-wan's weak voice.

"Our mission has failed. Padme, get out of here..." There was a long moment of silence before he cried, "Wait! Anakin - NO!" His exclamation was immediately cut short and the sudden silence echoed through her mind.

Fumbling for the button that would allow her to issue a response, Padme willed her hands to stop trembling. Finally, she activated the control and cried out in frustration as she met with thick static.

"Come in, Obi-wan," she begged. "Please, come in." But she knew she wouldn't get an answer.

Desperately, she reached out to Anakin through their Force Bond. She caught a flicker of life before a thick cloud descended and she was struck with a feeling of asphyxiation. Coughing, she pulled back quickly, already mourning the loss of Anakin's loving presence.

She lay on the grass for a few moments, relieved to feel her strength returning. A ray of hope surged in her heart as she recalled the last few moments. _I could still feel him. They are alive... It is not too late. _Despite the oppressive aura that blocked their Bond, she could still sense Anakin's life presence.

That was all she needed to know.

Struggling to stand, she leaned against a wide tree, not even noticing the way the rough bark dug into her back. Reaching into her cloak, she pulled out a small remote and began to whisper quietly. Seconds later, her orders were obeyed as the ships fired up and streaked for the sky. _Good work, Threepio. Well done._

Turning to Artoo, she punched in a code and watched a compartment door slide open as a platform emerged. Gently, she picked up the deadly blaster, relishing the familiar weight in her hands. She clipped it to her utility belt and rustled around the brush, searching for the object she had hidden moments after the three Jedi had left.

With a grim sense of satisfaction, she located the jet-pack and slipped it over her shoulders_. Sometimes being a politician had its benefits._ Through her contacts, she had discovered that the Council had submitted orders that both ships be outfitted with enough equipment for _four_ people. It took some searching on her part, but a few days into the race, she had discovered the hiding place Anakin had used to store her equipment.

_Always so protective,_ she thought darkly. _We really should have a discussion about that._

Fluidly, she once again kneeled in front of Artoo and entered a long string of codes. Rocking back on her heels, she smiled in relief as she saw a steady red dot blinking on the semi-transparent surface map the droid promptly projected - Anakin's tracking device, working perfectly on the back of his cloak, where she had pinned it discreetly during their final embrace.

_Perhaps I am a bit protective too,_ she admitted reluctantly.

With a silent prayer, she fired up the jet pack and marveled at the quiet hum of the propulsion device. Artoo beeped admiringly and fired his own rockets, muting them considerably. Grinning at the small droid, she said, "Okay, Artoo - let's find the source of that tracking signal."

Pushing forward on the controls, she followed the droid through the trees.

**OUTSIDE DIVIDED SYSTEMS HEADQUARTERS - THIRTY MINUTES LATER**

She gently eased off the throttle and felt her feet touch the ground a few yards from Artoo. Slipping off the jet pack, she hid it under a large leafy plant and crept towards the edge of the forest. Spotting two sentry droids, she pulled the blaster from its resting place on her utility belt and watched silently. It didn't seem as though they sensed her presence, so she returned the weapon to her side.

Crouching low, she ran through the thick cover of trees until she came to an unguarded section of the looming fortress. Peering intently, she smiled when she found what she was looking for. _Perfect!_ Checking around once more for any hidden guards, she turned to Artoo.

"I need you to stay here," she commanded gently. Her statement was met with a forlorn beep. "I'll be okay. Do you see that ventilation intake pipe? That's where I'm going in and it's too narrow for you." He whistled quietly as if to argue.

"No, Artoo," she explained. "I need you to act as my back-up. I'll signal you if I need help, I promise. In the meantime, review the schematics Anakin downloaded into your system and see if you can find another way in. Just in case." The faithful droid stayed silent this time, apparently in reluctant agreement with her plan.

Giving him one final pat on the head, she sprinted for the building. Not bothering to slow down, she executed a somersault and plunged into the shaft feet-first.

The sleek fabric of her cloak sped her descent and all she could do was tuck her arms into her sides as she raced down the narrow pipe. _At least I'm being aerodynamic... Just like Master Windu without his hair. _Her heart ached dully at the memory as she wondered about the possible fate of her friends. She wasn't nearly as connected to them as she was to Anakin and their current fate remained unknown.

She was ripped from her reverie as she was expelled from the pipe and sent tumbling into a cavernous room. In the middle, a large gemstone seemed to gleam sinisterly and she found herself stepping back from it unconsciously. Aware she was out in the open, she retreated to the back wall, pressing herself against it tightly. Feeling suitably protected, she began to prowl the perimeter of the room.

Her attention focused solely on any threats in the distance, she didn't notice the mist creeping around her ankles until it brought her down. Confused, she searched her boots for some sort of entanglement but her fingers slid right through the airy substance. Struggling desperately, she managed to drag herself forward a few feet but stopped as she heard a door open.

"Hello, sweet one," a disembodied voice greeted. Gasping, she brought up the blaster and cried out as it was torn from her fingers by an unseen hand.

"Oh no, you won't be needing that," it growled. Stepping forward, the figure finally came into view. Exceptionally tall, it was clad in a dark, shimmering cloak, the hood effectively disguising any facial features.

Finding her voice, she finally demanded, "Who are you?"

The flat reply sent chills dancing down her spine.

"Your destiny."

She was still staring helplessly when the searing bolt embedded itself in her chest.

And everything went dark.


	24. Party for Two

**Author's Note: **_Hey everyone! I'm back with a new chapter – hope you enjoy! I'm taking some creative license here, so please bear with me as the story slowly reveals itself. Those of you who have been submitting regular reviews – I am honored by your support. Thanks for everything!_

**PLAUU – LOCATION UNKNOWN**

_"I believe it is time you reveal yourself to our beloved Senator," the dark figure murmured, his transparent image shimmering hauntingly._

_"Yes, my Master," the shadow agreed. He continued to kneel obediently, his head bowed respectfully as he sensed that his Master had more to say._

_"Everything is proceeding as I have foreseen."_

_With that eerie statement, the transmission went dead._

_**00000**_

She was alone. She could sense it.

_Anakin, where are you?_

Her head throbbed dully as she pried her eyes open. She slowly turned her head and took in her surroundings suspiciously. The opulent room seemed to be outfitted for comfort from floor to ceiling. Plush burgundy drapes covered the tall windows, the hem sweeping across floors that sparkled from a fresh polish. Several sets of doors blended in seamlessly on the far wall, and her eyes lingered on them longingly.

She put a hand to her head, the simple motion causing her a minor fissure of pain. Returning the appendage to its resting place on her stomach, she realized she was lying on a large bed, the soft sheets soothing her aching body. Ignoring her inner wish for further rest, she raised her head and paused for a moment to see if it would spin. When it didn't, she sighed in relief and swung her legs over the edge.

With a start, she took in her new garments. She was now swathed in a deep purple gown, the material sliding over her body with a fluid grace. She staggered to the gilded mirror and gasped as she saw that her hair had been restyled into lazy ringlets, jeweled combs tucked gently behind her ears. She spun away from the reflection in horror and hurried to the wall, desperate to find the door that might lead out of this nightmare. Pushing on the access panel frantically, she watched it slide open to reveal an enormous closet.

Her hands flew up to her mouth as she took in the vast number of gowns, all exquisitely tailored just for her. She began to pull them off the rack, watching as they formed pools of vivid color on the ground.

_Where is my jumpsuit? My cloak? They must be here!_

But her search proved fruitless. With a renewed surge of anger, she left the closet and jabbed at the next door. It slid open silently to an adjoining 'fresher. The floor tiles were a shiny silver material, the sink basin and the bathing chamber encased in a glistening blue. In any other situation, she would have called it beautiful.

But at this moment it was simply an extension of her prison.

She pushed that thought away and rushed towards the next door, crying out in frustration as she came face-to-face with a shoe closet. She picked up one of the dainty shoes, letting it tumble from her hands when she noticed it was exactly her size.

Turning away, she came to a stop in front of her last hope, fear pooling in her stomach. With a trembling finger, she punched in the 'open' command and nearly sobbed with relief when it revealed a long corridor. Without hesitation, she began to run. Her feet pounded the cold floor as her skirts billowed around her noiselessly.

She slowed to a stop when she saw the reinforced door ahead of her. Searching for a possible control panel, she ran her fingers along the seams carefully. Finding nothing, she leaned her forehead against the metallic surface and let out a breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding. Spinning on her heel, she began to retrace her steps and suddenly noticed a door she had missed during her desperate flight.

_"Padme... Please..."_

She could hear Anakin clearly and her legs threatened to crumple from the wave of emotion that crashed over her. _My love, I'm coming!_ In her haste, it took three tries before she finally pressed the right key to open the door. Her eyebrows furrowed as she took in the pitch black area it revealed. Driven by a certainty that she was closing in on her husband, her step was sure as she quietly slipped through the doorway and barely flinched it slammed shut behind her.

Blindly, she fumbled for some sort of a light switch and began to panic when her fingers only met smooth walls. There didn't even seem to be a control panel for the door. Anywhere.

_I'm trapped._

Refusing to give in to her mounting distress, she continued to explore the walls. Her fingers finally met a thick piece of fabric and she fingered it curiously, noting its soft texture. She frowned as she sensed the pulsing electricity that seemed to flow from behind it and backed away instinctively.

The hair at the base of her neck fluttered as a cold chill infiltrated the room. Suddenly, there was a flash of blinding light and she closed her eyes in defense. Moments later, she opened them and gasped as she took in the room before her, brilliantly illuminated by hundreds of candles. A large banquet table stretched end to end, the middle teeming with food and drink. The far wall was decorated with murals of eternal battles, the violent scenes only interrupted by a few clouded windows. She turned to study the wall behind her, shivering at the sight of the oppressive black material that blanketed the vertical surface.

"Good evening, Milady," a voice hissed. "You look as lovely in that gown as I pictured. Please, have a seat."

She jumped, searching desperately for the speaker's origin but finding the room empty.

Bringing up her chin, she straightened her spine and spat, "No."

She cried out in shock as a mist swirled forth from the floor and wound around her ankles. Gently but firmly, it moved her forward until she was standing in front of an elegant chair. It then slithered up her body and she could feel building pressure bearing down on her shoulders. With a shout of outrage, she gave up and sank to the cushioned seat, tucking her feet behind the chair legs protectively.

"Why must you make it so difficult?" the voice continued, sounding weary. "You must know I hate treating you this way."

"Oh yes," Padme replied, her words bitter. "I could tell by the way you shot me with a stun blaster."

"An unfortunate event, perpetrated by one of my guards. He will not be harming you again, I assure you. He has been... dealt with, you might say."

She gasped as the surface of the middle window cleared, revealing a man's body hanging crookedly from a jagged spike. His head hung lifelessly to the side, the skin blackened and burned. Blood still dripped from the gash in his neck.

She swallowed thickly as the window once again clouded over, blocking the disturbing image from view. She shook her head in disgust.

"Oh dear. I can see that you do not approve," he purred, the words seeming to come inches from her ear. She leaned away, her eyes scanning the dark corners nervously. But still, for all intents and purposes, she appeared to be alone.

"Of course I don't," she replied indignantly.

"I must confess - that does not come as a surprise to me. After all, you are Senator Amidala, champion of peace."

Her blood chilled as she heard the evil voice speak her true name.

_He knows who I am. He knows!_

"Yes, I know who you are. Of course I know," the voice confirmed, amused.

"Then you should know my kidnapping will bring swift retribution," she managed, trying to put strength and determination into her words as she struggled to shield her thoughts.

"Oh my dear, I think not." And with that, the black fabric was stripped away to reveal a live holograph of the bodies of three Jedi, lying limply on the stone ground in some sort of chamber.

"What have you done to them?" she gasped. She struggled to stand, but invisible ropes held her in place.

"I have not laid a finger on your precious Jedi," the voice seethed as if angered by her outburst. "This is simply the price they pay for relying strictly on the Light side of the Force."

"What?" she asked, horrified. Her eyes never left the transparent image of the three men - until she became aware of a cloaked figure entering the room - then her gaze was truly trapped.

She watched as it halted next to her and reached out a pale hand, tracing a fingernail down the side of her face. Finally, the figure retreated and crossed to the other side of the table. Reaching up, it lowered the hood of the dark cloak and Padme reeled in horror.

_Anakin's eyes were staring back at her._

_No,_ she corrected herself firmly as she stared sightlessly at the table before her. _Just a cruel similarity._

_But those eyes..._ So similar to Anakin's, as blue as her adored Nubian Lakes. _Yet these eyes were dead, no emotion visible behind them except for anger and misery. _

She forced her gaze back to the disturbing sight and took in the rest of her captor's appearance, trying desperately to recall if she'd seen him anywhere. Dark hair curled around his face, his skin tanned from prolonged exposure to the elements. He was tall and lean, inherent power conveyed by the pace of his sleek gait. She supposed he would be considered handsome if it weren't for the aura of evil that seemed to surround him. _And those eyes._ She shivered as she once again noticed how similar they were to Anakin's. As he noticed her distaste, a flash of rage passed through his face before he suppressed it.

And it came to her.

"You were there!" she cried. "At the Arena! You were one of the Avoiders in that blasted pile. Your - your eyes were red - like fire. Like _blood."_

He smiled, but the expression was one of malevolence. He nodded slowly, pleased that she had placed him.

"Yes, we made quite a connection, didn't we? But please, you must call me Jarrick," he said silkily as he poured himself a glass of wine. "I am quite ecstatic that you've remembered me. How I wanted to introduce myself in that Arena! But you see, I knew the time wasn't right - I needed for _you_ to come to _me._ So, I simply allowed you to slip through my grasp temporarily. Oh, where are my manners? Would you care for something to drink?"

As if they were partners at a Galaxy dinner gala, he tilted the golden bottle towards her politely. She shook her head emphatically and watched as he returned it to its place on the table.

"I didn't come to you, as you so _eloquently_ put it," she interjected, scorn lacing the statement. "I was coming after the Jedi." She was careful to keep the reference casual, hoping against hope he didn't know her strong feelings about the three men whose fate he held in his hands.

"You are still denying your destiny then?" he asked mildly, swirling a finger in his wine before bringing it to his lips. Padme looked away disgustedly as he caught a drop on his tongue.

"I do not refuse my destiny," she replied, turning fierce brown eyes on him. "I merely know that it does not reside with anything evil."

There was a long pause while he studied a spot over her shoulder. Then, he brought his gaze back to her, his eyes once again glowing red as he whispered:

"We shall see."


	25. Job Security

**Author's Note**: _A huge thanks for the feedback re: yesterday's chapter. I appreciate the flexibility you've allowed me in introducing my own character. I've never created one before so I'm happy to see it's going over (fairly) well even though he's a pretty big creep. Hope you'll continue to stick with me. _

_**00000**_

"What do you mean by that?" Padme asked, fury evident in her tone.

"I am simply pointing out the fact that all people are capable of evil given the right... _persuasion,"_ he grinned, feeding off the energy that was emanating from her.

"You overestimate the power of hatred," she countered, remembering Master Windu's statement to her as she lay in the medical ward on Terraro.

"I don't think so," he mused, his blue eyes flashing. "But you misunderstand me, my dear. It is not hatred I speak of, but _fear."_

With a slight wave of his hand, the holovid once again sprang forward and Padme felt her heart fall at the sight it revealed. Obi-wan's head lay on Mace's boot, his face pale and weak. Mace was turned away from the viewport, but scarcely appeared to move.

As if he could sense Padme's gaze, Anakin raised his head from its spot on the floor and struggled to speak. His lips moved and although no sound came forth, Padme heard every word straight through her soul.

_Leave us. Do whatever you can. Just get away from him!_

Turning away from the sight, she felt anger rising up within her.

"What have you done? You said you didn't touch them, but look at them!" she cried, gesturing helplessly to the scene behind her.

"I told you, they were fools to trust in the Light side of the Force," he explained slowly, as if he were talking to a small child. His eyes grew hard as he continued, "They had their chance to escape this, but they sealed their fate the day they turned their backs on me."

"What are you talking about?" she asked, incredulous. But it quickly became clear he wasn't going to answer her.

"I tire of this line of conversation," he stated, a bored expression falling over his face. He sneered at her before continuing, "I would much rather discuss our plans."

"Our plans?" she echoed flatly. "I don't believe I have any plans with _you, sir."_

"My dear, the plans aren't just with me, but with the entire government of the Divided Systems. It has been decided that you will make a rather fetching Galactic representative. It's just a matter of whether or not you will do it willingly."

"I think you know the answer to that," she spat.

"I wouldn't speak too hastily," he said softly. "If necessary, I will _ensure_ your cooperation. It would cause me great distress to have to exploit the Force Bond you seem to have with that Jedi, Anakin Skywalker. I have been extremely kind in my manipulations thus far; I do hope you won't take advantage."

"Kind?" she wondered sarcastically. "Yes, the nightmares you force on my mind are truly blessings in disguise."

He turned flat eyes on her as he hissed, "It could be much worse. Don't test me."

She leaned back in her chair, trying to still her trembling hands. _He knows about my connection with Anakin!_ She tried to stand, but the mist still bound her to the chair. Frustrated, she let out a deep sigh and pressed her lips together in a thin line. When it became apparent she wasn't going to say anything else on the matter, Jarrick sighed.

"You seem tired. Well, I do not wish to trouble you any further," he insisted. With a wave of his hand, her transparent bindings fell away and she was able to move freely again. "I shall give you some time to consider my offer. Your housekeeping droid should have your closet tidy once again. You do realize you made quite a mess earlier? I was shocked - after all the time I took to have such fine gowns made for you, Milady, you simply toss them on the ground?"

"I don't care to be kept in a gilded cage," she fumed. Her voice was haughty as she continued, "I am not some fancy pet you can parade around. I am a well known Senator of the Republic!"

"A temporary imperfection," he replied airily. "Once you have joined us, you shall be granted more freedom, I assure you. I trust you will make a wise decision."

"You have my decision. This is your last chance, Jarrick," she promised, bracing her hands against the table. With a smirk, he leapt across the table and whispered in her ear-

"No, Senator. It is yours."

_**00000**_

She sat on the edge of the bed, absently nibbling a piece of fruit. She had been returned to her quarters moments ago and was promptly informed that sentry droids would be monitoring her door. _The gesture was strictly for her safety and security._ The absurd statement nearly made her dissolve into a fit of hysterical laughter. Instead, she kept a tight grip on her emotions and simply eliminated that from her list of possible routes of escape.

Suddenly, an idea bloomed forth in her mind and she froze as it crystallized into a somewhat feasible plan. Hurrying to the control panel, she issued a summons for her housekeeping droid and smiled in satisfaction when it arrived a few minutes later.

"My 'fresher, please," Padme instructed as she strode into the spacious area. The door slid shut behind her and she quickly deactivated the droid. Prying open its central control panel, she went to work.

_**00000**_

The TX-306 housekeeping droid waited patiently as the turbolift began the long descent, reviewing the mission now programmed into its control system. As it arrived on Level A, the door to the Security console came into view. As commanded, it switched on its vacuuming mechanism and entered the room, motors running at high speed. Almost simultaneously, the guards left the room as they tried to escape the noise that was so damaging to their highly sensitive audio sensors.

Once TX-306 was alone, it abandoned the mundane task and scanned the large array of security recordings, quickly spotting the one the Senator had requested. Reaching up with a mechanical arm, it plucked the disk from its resting place and quickly scanned a copy before returning the original to the shelf. Smoothly, it slipped the new copy into its midsection and dropped it into the container normally reserved for refuse. Dusting the console for good measure, the droid spun on its treads and left, beeping to the guards to let them know they could return to duty. Returning to the lift, TX-306 ran an internal systems check and chirped happily.

Certainly, the Mistress would be pleased.

_**00000 **_

Padme waited until the door slid shut behind the housekeeping droid before rushing towards it. Leading it towards the 'fresher once again, her heart was in her throat as she asked, "Did you get it?"

"Yes, Milady," came the monotone response. "I performed my function just as you requested. Do you wish for me to display the contents of the security disk?"

"Yes please," she confirmed. Instantly, the droid projected a small hologram of the large room Padme remembered landing in after her fall from the air ducts. Everything appeared the same. Except... _The large gemstone appears dull and muted in this recording,_ she noted.

The realization evaporated as she watched Anakin, Mace and Obi-wan enter the room, moving cautiously around the large perimeter. Their light sabers humming, they started towards the mysterious object and she could finally hear snippets of their conversation.

"So this... dreaded weapon?" Anakin scoffed. "A... jewel?"

Obi-wan calmly instructed, "Don't underestimate... small things... just as dangerous."

As if to prove his point, the surface of the gem began to shine as if lit from within. Instantly, the three Jedi reeled in shock and looked around in confusion. Seconds later, the stone pulsed again and the action sent them to their knees, their light sabers deactivating as they clattered harmlessly to the ground. With a cry of anguish, they struggled to regain their footing but were unsuccessful. Tears sprang to Padme's eyes at the sight of their suffering.

Suddenly, a figure materialized and she frowned as she recognized the dark cloak. Her fingers clenched into fists as she watched the shadow tower over his prey, his glowing red eyes the only visible feature. She gasped as she heard the next exchange:

"Good evening, Master Windu," the deep voice spoke. "Welcome."

There was a pause as the Jedi Master raised his head, the effort obviously sapping his remaining strength. Then:

"Hello, Jarrick."


	26. Brainstorming

**Author's Note**: _Welcome to the 26th chapter of our ongoing saga. Whew! I get tired just acknowledging that! I've tried to reveal a bit more about Jarrick; I'm kinda having some fun writing him - he's such a bad dude. Thanks again for the reviews – you are so wonderful to take the time to let me know what you think!_

_**00000**_

_Master Windu knows him?_

_How is that possible?_

Her thoughts collided with each other as they struggled to make sense of this strange turn of events. She pushed the questions aside and focused once again on the recordings.

"Ah, so good of you to remember," Jarrick responded smoothly.

"How could I forget such a powerful Force user?" Mace parried, his breaths becoming shallow and quick.

"So you've finally acknowledged what I have known in my heart forever," Jarrick mocked.

"I never denied it."

"Ah yes, how did you put it all those years ago? _'The boy's age is too great, and I sense the Dark Side around him; he is not fit to be a Jedi.'_ Is that correct?" The red eyes continued to flash with hatred.

"Perhaps. But I will point out that it appears my intuition served me well," Mace said dryly, flinching as his strength continued to drain away. He gradually allowed his head to sink to the cold floor.

"Well if this isn't a sight to behold," Jarrick ridiculed. "The great Master Windu, collapsed before me. The feeling is as powerful as I anticipated."

"You call yourself powerful?" Mace panted. "I only see cowardice. You refused to face us until your weapon had done the hard work for you."

_"I am the weapon!"_ Jarrick shouted, his hood falling away, revealing the look of intense loathing on his face. Veins popped forth in his forehead as he began to pace. "It is my Dark power that fuels the object that is so relentlessly destroying your connection to the Light side of the Force! Don't you see the beauty of it? The only thing the Jedi have clung to for the past thousands years is going to be its downfall!"

Mace simply stared at him evenly. Jarrick ignored him and continued, his voice dripping with glee, "When the Jedi are eliminated, I will be the one responsible and I assure you - I will savor the feeling."

Padme watched in muted horror as Anakin began to stir. Such an air of rage surrounded him, she was surprised the air didn't crackle from it. Slowly, Obi-wan reached for his com-link and began to whisper into it. She remembered his message clearly - _Our mission has failed... Padme, get out of here..._

"What do you plan to do with us?" Mace muttered, keeping the attention on himself and away from Obi-wan and Anakin.

"I shall keep you in this pitiful state for a short while longer. I am expecting our new Galactic representative to arrive within an hour or two. She is very well known, so her full commitment may require some _convincing,_ but I will do what I must," he mused, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Once she has agreed to stand by me, I'm afraid I will no longer have need for your presence. Your executions will be performed swiftly and, well, quite painfully to be honest."

"What respected politician would ever join you?" Mace gasped, his voice growing faint.

"I'm so very glad you asked, my good sir. I do believe the three of you are quite familiar with her," Jarrick simpered. Obi-wan looked at him with a growing sense of distress. "I do believe I will even bring her to your sentencing, just to make it extra bittersweet. I will do whatever it takes to help _Senator Amidala_ sever the ties to her misguided past."

Padme stifled the cry of fear as she watched Anakin lunge forward, just as Obi-wan cried, "Wait! Anakin - NO!" and immediately the screen went dark.

"That's it? That's the end of the recording?" Padme cried.

TX-306 scanned the disk before replying, "Yes, Milady."

_**00000**_

Padme watched in detached amusement as her breath fogged the surface of the clouded window. Her only ally, the housekeeping droid, had left her 30 minutes earlier for a lengthy charging session. Unsure what her next move was, she had reverted to what she'd done as a little girl whenever she was stressed.

She drew.

Her finger traced a sharp line through the opaque moisture her breath had left on the window panes. Lacking the proper art supplies, she had improvised and the results weren't too bad, she admitted. She had done a rather impressive drawing of herself shooting Jarrick right between the eyes with a high powered blaster. Her satisfied smile fell as her predicament began to rear its head.

_Force, what am I going to do? _

She now knew Obi-wan, Mace and Anakin were helpless as long as that gemstone continued to operate. There was no way they had enough strength to destroy it given the state they were in. And as long as Jarrick still lived, he would continue feeding it an endless stream of hatred and despair.

_Perhaps I could destroy it?_

But she didn't even know where it was, let alone if she could even get out of her room. Plus, how was she expected to fight Jarrick, a powerful Force-user with an unnatural ability to command the Dark side? She wished she could talk to Anakin, but their connection continued to be blocked. She had tried to reach out to their Bond earlier and had again choked from the oppressive weight that squeezed her lungs in an iron vise.

_But how had Anakin been able to move while Mace and Obi-wan remained nearly paralyzed?_

She felt tears spring to her eyes as she the answer came to her: Anakin had let his rage course through his heart and it temporarily overpowered the gemstone. _He was teetering on a fine line,_ she worried.. She relaxed slightly as she realized he had quickly let the emotions go, returning his soul to the Light side willingly. _Even though it was destroying him. _

_But how long could he withstand the temptation, knowing I am in danger?_ The thought was too awful to finish.

Her heart twisted in her chest as she realized there was only one thing she could do. She slowly walked towards the door and punched in the access code. Immediately, two sentry guards stood at attention, their electrified staffs forming an "X" across the doorway. With a sigh, she stared into their blank eyes and said quietly,

"Tell Master Jarrick I agree. I shall follow his command."

Turning on her heel, she heard the door shut behind her as one of the guards left to relay her message. As if on autopilot, she walked into her closet and selected a deep red gown. Slowly, she slipped it on and fastened the tiny pearls with shaking fingers. Taking a seat in front of the ornate mirror, she ran a brush through her hair before pulling it into a complicated twist. When she was finished, she simply stared at her reflection until her features blurred.

Moments later, her door chimed and she stiffened, fighting the urge to dive under the bed and hide. She pressed a hand to her temple and took a deep breath before bidding the visitor to enter.

"My dear, I was so very happy when I received your message," Jarrick exclaimed. He was dressed in a dark blue cloak this time and the color brought her attention to his eyes. _So similar and yet so frighteningly different._ She tried to suppress the pang she felt as she thought of her husband.

"I have one condition," she stated clearly.

"Yes, Milady?" he inquired suspiciously.

"I will see the Jedi first." Her tone left no room for argument but she was prepared for one in any case.

She swallowed thickly as she saw him smile in anticipation.

"As you wish," he replied, his voice a deep growl. With a flourish, he indicated she should follow him and they left the room quickly. She concentrated hard, trying to memorize the path they were taking to the holding cells, but soon gave up. It was apparent that Jarrick was no fool and had taken the most convoluted way possible. She tried to hide her irritation and when he glanced back at her, she ensured her face was a mask of professionalism.

Finally, they stopped in front of a large wall and Padme looked at it questioningly. _Where are we?_ She shivered involuntarily, suddenly aware of the cold chill that seemed to emanate from the area in front of her. She fought down a surge of panic at the emotions that were suddenly assaulting her. She looked at Jarrick in confusion as his eyes flashed red and he grinned.

She felt a sudden evil presence at the edge of her mind and she recoiled. _No!_

_Anakin was hurt, obviously dying. She simply stood there and watched the remaining blood drain from his body. Her hands flew up to her mouth as she began to laugh._

She thrashed and tried to retreat, but a door slid shut behind her and pinned her in place.

_She caressed the handle of the light saber, enjoying the feel of it in her small hand. With a flick of her finger, the purple blade activated. She smiled as she brought it down on the head of the man before her. Farewell, Master Windu._

Tendrils of hair broke free from the clasp and caught in the tears that were tracking down her cheeks. Slowly, she slid down the wall and stared up at him, her mental defenses weakening in exhaustion.

_Obi-wan watched in serene detachment as she forced the poison down his throat. Moments later, he slumped to the floor, his blank eyes staring into an unseen void. _

"What are you doing to me?" she whispered.

"Ensuring your cooperation," he said soothingly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "First, you will aid me in destroying your friends. Then, we will take on the Republic."

"I already agreed to be your representative," she mumbled, struggling to regain control of her mind.

"Do you still not realize how I can see into your mind?" he shouted. "Do you really think I didn't know you were simply coming down here hoping for a chance to free your precious Jedi?"

She could only stare as she felt his claws dig deeper into her mind.

His voice softened as he continued, "Why are you making me do this to you? I was so gentle. I gave you time to prepare, but you didn't use it. Didn't you see those visions I sent you for what they were? They were gifts - intensive mind exercises to ease your separation from your dear Anakin and his pathetic Jedi friends. Why didn't you listen?"

Gathering the last of her strength around her, she rose to her feet and simply said:

"Because I would rather die than suffer that fate."


	27. Splintered

**Author's Note**: _Hi everyone! I'm sorry I missed a day of posting, but this is a pretty heavy duty chapter and I wanted to make sure I got everything just right. Hope you think the extra time was worth it. I'll be back on Monday with more, but I think we're entering the home stretch! Enjoy!_

_**00000**_

"Oh no, my dear Senator," Jarrick whispered. "Death would be too easy. And well, that just wouldn't suit my plans for you at all."

Padme closed her eyes, horrified that her last sight would be those eyes, as blue as Anakin's, but so cold and unfeeling. She felt him grab her arm and drag her forward just as her mind imploded.

_**00000**_

Anakin lay motionless on the ground, Padme's favorite cloak strewn haphazardly across his back. Jarrick had thrown it in a few hours earlier, taunting him wordlessly with the knowledge that he had her in his grasp.

He closed his eyes, breathing in her scent as he whispered her name in his head, the sound becoming a desperate litany. After a long sigh, he gave in to the nagging thoughts that refused to let him go.

_He has her._

_She is at his mercy._

_I can do nothing._

He didn't even know if she was hurt. His connection with the Force had been so weakened that any attempt to connect with her left him gasping for breath. His Masters weren't faring any better. Both had fallen silent, trying to conserve the remaining energy they had left. His eyes traveled up their still forms until they came to rest on the source of their plight. The gemstone pulsed silently as the light it emitted formed prisms on the ground.

He growled angrily as he struggled to sit up. After several long moments, he succeeded and had to rest his head against the wall in exhaustion. He hadn't been restrained in any way and oddly enough, that only made it worse. He had never felt so helpless and to have it emphasized in such a simple manner was humiliating.

His head rocked forward and he saw that Padme's cloak had shifted with his movements and a few items had spilled out of the inner pocket, trailing across the floor. His heart ached as he saw the blue stone he had given her when they were in the caverns all those days ago. He had known she liked it but didn't realize she had actually saved it. The fact that she did made him smile softly.

His wife, the stoic Senator, had quite a sentimental streak.

His peaceful reflections were shattered as an adjacent door slid open. Slowly, he turned his head and watched warily as Jarrick entered. His eyes were already glowing red and Anakin found the unnatural color more disturbing than usual. Obi-wan and Mace ignored him, not moving a muscle from their spot on the floor...

...Until they saw who was behind him. And even then, their spent bodies could only recoil slightly in sorrow.

_Padme..._

Anakin always thought he knew what true torture was: holding his mother as she died, sitting next to a gravely injured Obi-wan, watching Padme disappear into an electrified reactor.

But those were nothing compared to seeing the walking corpse of the woman he loved.

She lurched into the room, her hair in tangles as it flowed over her shoulders. Her eyes were dead and expressionless, two blank spots set into the contours of her face. Her lips were pressed together so tightly they had nearly turned white, occasionally parting in a silent scream. Like a blast straight through the heart, Anakin remembered Master Windu's words:

_"Milady, you must find a way to stop these visions once they start. Shut them out. Expel this unwelcome visitor from your mind. If you don't, I'm afraid there may come a time where you won't be able to. Your mind will become trapped. Forever."_

Anakin closed his eyes, the fight leaving him, as he realized his worst fears had come true.

She was lost.

_**00000**_

The line between her dreams and reality had been blown into oblivion.

She wandered aimlessly, her besieged mind not able to fully take in her surroundings. Images assaulted her from all sides, horrifying her with their content and filling her with hopelessness. She was locked within herself, her world now consisting of brutal images of her loved ones being slain.

Throughout it all, a cold voice hissed at her and though she couldn't make out the words, she somehow understood the meaning.

_They will die if you don't cooperate._

Her mother, her father, her sister and her nieces - all were murdered slowly by a man with Anakin's eyes. She was there for their dying breaths, their pleas for salvation falling on deaf ears.

_You will be responsible..._

Bail Organa lay at her feet, lifeless, his arms and legs splayed at an awkward angle. She reached out a trembling hand and screamed when it came back covered in blood. A pair of blue eyes gleamed in the darkness beyond.

_Accept your fate or you shall determine theirs..._

She was staring at the funeral pyres of three Jedi. Her hands flew to her throat as she recognized the faces of Obi-wan and Mace, slack and unresponsive.

Reluctantly, she turned her head a little farther and moaned hoarsely as she saw Anakin, his blue eyes closed forever, his face still creased in pain even in death.

_The people you love will never find peace...All because of you._

_You._

The grief was too much and she let a tiny crack slip in her remaining defenses. Tendrils of fear seized on the momentary weakness and soon fissures of pain spread out, feeding on the feelings that were overwhelming her.

She shattered.

For a long moment, her memories simply dissolved. Jarrick smirked as he sensed victory and sent forth the mist. Heeding the call of its Master, it swirled around her body, preparing to descend upon her permanently. She felt the call of darkness and watched blankly as it rose to meet her.

As it touched her, she pitched forward onto her knees, her hands instinctively moving towards the object that was suddenly embedded in her flesh. She curled her fingers around it and brought the stone to her face, the sudden flash of color causing something inside her to stir.

It was so small in size, yet seemed incredibly significant.

_A pair of blue eyes... But these were so warm... So loving... _

_"You've grown too... only more beautiful, I mean."_

_"I'm haunted by the kiss you never should have given me."_

_"I love you."_

_"I accept this vow with a peaceful heart."_

_"No matter what happens, we will be together."_

"PADME!"

At the sound of Anakin's voice, she snapped from the trance, dragging in big gulps of air greedily. Her hands clenched and unclenched as she tried to work the blood back into her fingers. Staggering towards the far wall, her steps quickly became confident as her memories flooded back and her mind slammed shut against its invader.

In that instant, she knew she had won.

"You fool!" Jarrick screamed.

Proudly, she simply lifted her chin and stared at him steadily as she declared, "I have already told you. You will not take my love. Nor will you take our friends."

"And how are you going to stop me? The weapon is still functioning at full power and cannot be destroyed with a simple weapon," he taunted.

The answer came to her with startling clarity.

_Hate is powerful... But it doesn't stand a chance against love._

Turning towards Anakin, she filled her vision with him and let his love wash over her. Closing her eyes, she summoned their Bond and immediately felt the air leave her lungs. Fearlessly, she continued her call, shredding the darkness that clawed at her. She felt herself weakening from the effort, but refused to give in to the crushing weight that sought to wrench away her life.

Time was running out.

Sweat beaded on her forehead as she sharpened her focus, bringing it to a single pinpoint of intensity before releasing it outward, rejoicing at the emotions that were emanating from her in rays.

_Love is a force you will never be able to grasp, Dark Lord._

_I'm afraid you have lost. _

The mist quickly recognized the truth behind her statement and shrieked in anger. With a last burst of energy, she directed her focus towards the gemstone and smiled as she heard it splinter.

Her soul flew to Anakin's as the room was flooded with a calm sense of power, their reunion complete. She felt a moment of satisfaction as the three Jedi rose, whole and strong once more.

"Farewell, Jarrick," she whispered in triumph.


	28. Down the Drain

**Author's Note:** _Our adventure continues! Thanks for the previous chapter's reviews; each and every one made me smile! Hope you enjoy this segment, I'll be back with more soon!_

_**00000**_

"I'm afraid the tables have turned, Jarrick," Mace growled. "You are under arrest. I hope for your sake that you will come willingly."

Padme watched as the three Jedi raised their hands slightly and their light sabers flew out of the folds of the dark lord's cloak. She noticed that Anakin's mechanical hand seemed to grip the hilt a little tighter than normal and she sent him a wave of reassurance. Her gaze sharpened until she saw him loosen his fingers slightly.

"Your victory is fleeting, _Jedi,_" Jarrick snarled, the honorable title spinning off his tongue maliciously. "My Master will triumph in the end. You are only postponing the inevitable."

"I don't think so," Obi-wan murmured. The three Jedi held their light sabers in a defensive pose as they started forward cautiously. Suddenly, they froze in place as a large boom rattled the building from within. Padme put her hand on the wall to steady her balance and winced as a shower of rubble rained on her head.

"I believe your stay has been extended after all," Jarrick gloated. "Indefinitely by the looks of it." Cracks appeared in the ceiling above them, the building's structure already beginning to crumble.

Realizing time was not on their side, the three Jedi reached for their captor when a sudden blinding flash of light sent them reeling. By the time their sight returned, the spot where Jarrick had been standing was empty.

"Blast!" Obi-wan muttered. But any further regrets were put on hold as they recognized their precarious situation.

"How do we get out of here?" Anakin asked, his voice straining to be heard over the din of the collapsing building. He put a protective arm over Padme, trying to shield her from some of the flying debris.

"Artoo!" she gasped. Ducking under Anakin's embrace, she hurried to her cloak and searched frantically for her com-link. She let out a relieved cry when her hands met the familiar object and she quickly activated it.

"Come in Artoo!" she begged. "Please, I need you to show us a way out of here."

There was a moment of silence and she felt her heart begin to sink to the floor that was now shaking violently beneath her feet. She hoped the fierce little droid hadn't gotten himself captured; he did have a tendency to rush into situations without much caution.

_Of course, I'm not much better,_ she thought ruefully.

Her patience was rewarded as an urgent series of beeps and whistles crackled across the device. Within seconds, she heard her datapad chime, indicating that it was receiving information and her fingers slid across the floor, trying to locate it underneath the growing pile of dust and building fragments.

Anakin rushed over to help her and she nearly wept with gratitude when he pulled it free. Glancing over his shoulder, she saw that the screen was filled with a map of the complex, depicting all of the various exits with a bold highlight. _Thank the Force!_

"Good job Artoo!" she called into the com-link. He responded with a shrill scream, indicating his discomfort with the rapidly deteriorating situation.

"Don't worry, we're on our way!" Anakin responded. Artoo whistled in excitement at the sound of Anakin's voice. Padme quickly pulled at his sleeve and he followed the path of her eyes to the gigantic weaponry depot swaying ominously above them. _When those weapons hit the ground, they will discharge! _he realized. His mouth dry, he swallowed thickly before his voice finally recovered and he shouted: "Masters, move! Hurry!"

Before he could even finish the warning, the two Jedi had already sensed the danger and were scrambling. Anakin grabbed a fistful of Padme's gown and hauled her along behind him as they clambered over the obstacles that had fallen in their path. Seconds later, the first bin overturned and blasters spilled out, firing nonsensically as they struck the ground. Padme shrieked as she felt the heat of a laser blast tear past her cheek. She flinched as another flew over her head, burning a hole in Master Windu's cloak as he leapt towards an exposed drainage pipe.

"Anakin! Does this register on the map?" Mace called, his light saber twirling in a blur of light as he deflected the barrage of blaster bolts. Obi-wan joined the effort, frowning as another carton began to spill over. Anakin pushed Padme behind the Jedi Masters as he consulted the datapad.

"Yes," Anakin replied, breathing heavily. "But Artoo indicates that it is not preferred."

"Well it can't be much worse than this!" Obi-wan insisted.

"Good point," Anakin acquiesced, easily blocking a series of stray blasts. Suddenly, there was a flurry of bangs and Padme edged to the side of Mace as she struggled to pinpoint the sound. _There!_

She watched as the far door began to buckle as if several small objects had rammed it repeatedly. She gasped as a small puncture was made and quickly widened, sparks showering the floor like rain. Immediately, several tiny objects flew into the cavernous room, seeking out their targets.

"Dart droids!" Mace called grimly. Anakin grimaced in response.

"What are those?" Padme asked, at a loss.

"A mere aggravation," Obi-wan explained, but his heightened awareness underscored his seriousness.

She watched the small machines as they zipped through the room, their movements erratic and unpredictable. Catching sight of the sharp electrified prongs that were attached to the front of the machines, she began to understand why they had been nicknamed 'dart' droids.

Her attention was once again brought back to the shower of blasters as another shudder sent a carton tumbling to the ground. _Not good, definitely not good!_ she thought worriedly. _Their attention is being fractured!_ Her fears seemed to solidify as the droids spotted their prey and began to swoop towards them crazily. The Jedi struggled to aim some of the deflected blast bolts towards them, but the droids' irregular pattern made it impossible.

"Perhaps this would be a good time to utilize the escape route?" she suggested, her voice rising with a sense of urgency.

"Yes, perhaps," Mace agreed. A large chunk of duracrete fell with a roar as if in agreement. He nodded with vague satisfaction as it crushed a few of the dart droids. "Please, follow me, Milady. Skywalker, Kenobi - bring up the rear. Keep an eye out for any of those dart droids that might try to follow." With a flap of his singed cloak, he leapt into the dark abyss, pulling Padme with him.

She felt the biting ridges of the pipe as they dug into her gown, snagging the fabric and leaving it in tatters. She cried out in surprise as she suddenly felt herself free falling through open space before splashing into a giant pool of dirty liquid. She popped up, sputtering in disgust as she took in her surroundings.

"The trash chute?" she gagged. "No wonder Artoo said it wasn't preferred."

Mace smiled thinly as Anakin and Obi-wan came tumbling into the mess. Despite the imminent danger that still surrounded them, Padme had to fight the urge to keep from giggling at the sight of Anakin and Obi-wan's faces when they realized what they were swimming in.

"I hope the vacations we won are better than this," Anakin commented wryly. Wiping his eyes gingerly, he consulted the datapad and paled as he absorbed the impact of the information.

"What is it?" Obi-wan prompted when several moments of silence passed.

"The exit," Anakin said. "We're going to have to swim through a pipe to get out of here."

"Fine," Mace acknowledged. He took a deep breath and started to dive for the bottom, but stopped when he felt a firm hand on his arm.

"It's complicated, Master. Only one opening operates at a time," Anakin explained seriously. "When the first hatch opens, we'll enter into a holding pipe for a few moments. Then, the final hatch will be released and we will be deposited into the T'olp Reservoir."

"We're good swimmers. We'll make it," Mace promised. "Have faith in the Force, young Skywalker."

"It's not the Force I'm worried about, Master Windu," he maintained. Padme felt her blood begin to chill as she took in the look of dismay on his face.

"The holding pipe will be filled to its maximum capacity. There will be no air."

They were quiet for a moment, waiting for Anakin to continue. He studied the datapad furiously before closing his eyes in resignation.

"If Artoo's calculations are correct, the building's computer system will be permanently offline in four to five minutes. According to this schedule, the next waste cycle will occur within three minutes. Then, we will be locked in the holding area for at least two minutes..." Padme looked at him questioningly; she was certain that if they been on solid ground, he'd be pacing.

Anakin sighed deeply, his blue eyes traveling morosely over their expectant faces.

"The hatches are operated automatically by the main control system," he murmured quietly. "Once the system goes offline, it's over. The hatches will freeze in place...

And we could be trapped until our lungs run out of air."


	29. Breathe In

**Author's Note: **_Hey everyone! We're cruising towards the big finish – not too much more to go. Sorry to leave you with another cliffhanger – it just seemed like a natural stopping point, honestly! I promise to update ASAP to make up for it! Hope you enjoy! And thanks for the reviews - you make the hard work worthwhile!_

_**00000**_

There was a long span of silence as the small group absorbed Anakin's statement. Padme was sure if she listened closely enough she could hear their collective heartbeats.

"Well then," Obi-wan said, clearing his throat. "Let's hope that computer system stays online for a little bit longer."

He slowly swam over to Mace and they began to talk quietly, formulating a plan.

Padme turned to Anakin and found him looking at her with worried eyes. She smiled softly and ran a gentle hand down the side of his face. Despite the flakes of debris that were clinging to her skin, he kissed her palm tenderly.

"We'll make it through this," he promised firmly.

Her reply seemed to get caught in a swell of emotion, so she simply nodded and mouthed, "I know."

They remained entwined like that until the ragged scraping of gears echoed through their metal prison.

It was time.

"Anakin, you go first," Obi-wan instructed. "Padme, you're next. We'll be right behind you."

"May the Force be with us," Mace said quietly.

Four pairs of eyes met and Padme was overwhelmed at the feeling of friendship, love and family. She let it wash over her, drawing strength from the soothing emotions. With a renewed sense of calm, she watched Anakin nod to his Masters respectfully before drawing in a deep breath. With a kick of his booted feet, he dove beneath the surface, sending ripples across the dirty water.

Padme didn't hesitate as she mirrored his actions, taking in the biggest gulp of air she could manage. With a graceful arch of her back, she sliced through the water, following Anakin's determined wake.

_"When I pictured myself swimming with my husband, this is not exactly what I had in mind,"_ she thought darkly.

She was mildly surprised was she heard Anakin's silent reply, _"Me neither."_

The bottom of the container was dark and cold and she found herself wanting nothing more than to bob back to the surface. Pushing the thought aside, she caught hold of Anakin's arm and let him guide her through the narrow opening. She continued to swim forward until she came up against another barrier and knew this must be the second hatch.

Reaching blindly, her fingers brushed against a Jedi tunic, but she didn't know whose. In the distance, she could hear the first opening slam shut and knew their two-minute waiting time had started. Clearing her mind, she began to hear Obi-wan's voice, along with Mace's.

_Well done, Padme._

_Yes, Senator - you are quite adventurous. It seems Skywalker has found a perfect match._

Master Windu's sudden compliment pleased her and she found herself blushing slightly. The peaceful feeling didn't last long, however, as her lungs started burning in a persistent demand for air. Fidgeting slightly, she tried to distract herself, but the feeling only intensified. Sensing her distress like a knife to the heart, Anakin swam over and ran his hands down her arms gently.

_How much longer?_ she pleaded.

_Less than one minute,_ he replied. _Stay with me, angel._

She tried valiantly to heed his comforting words, but the instinct to breathe was quickly becoming unbearable. She made a small sound in the back of her throat and balled her hands into fists. Her hair floated around her face and she brushed it back distractedly.

Finally, she heard the loud clanging that indicated the second hatch was preparing to open. Her heart leapt in relief and she turned towards the sound, feeling along the seams as they grew wider. She smiled as she felt her entire arm slip through, certain the rest of her body would be next.

Suddenly, the whole world seemed to shake and the hatch's progress stopped. She began to claw at it, yanking as hard as she could but to no avail. Anakin gently moved her aside as Mace and Obi-wan flanked him. Together, the Jedi pooled their remaining strength and pulled with all their might.

But it didn't move.

_**00000**_

Artoo rolled along quickly, ignoring the fleeing droids that shrieked warning after warning to him. He continued to monitor Master Anakin's tracking device and his sensors flared up in dismay as he realized the Jedi had chosen the trash chute as the means of escape.

Quickly, he wheeled to the nearest computer station and plugged into the controls, scanning the chute's disposal schedule. He whistled mournfully as he realized the main systems were going to go offline before his friends were free. Reluctantly, he sent the bad news to Padme's datapad and continued to peruse the files, hoping to find some sort of a loophole.

He was still searching when the system went offline. Beeping in frustration, he activated the auxiliary power and continued his desperate scan. _There! _It appeared as though there was a manual way to release the hatch. But accessing it would require him to go deep into the building where the structure was the most unstable.

The little droid didn't hesitate.

Firing up his rocket boosters, he zoomed willingly towards the danger.

_**00000**_

Padme began to struggle slowly, feeling the last of her resolve wearing thin. She knew she couldn't go much longer, her chest had tightened painfully and she had expelled the last little bit of air that resided in her lungs. A dull roar grew louder in her ears and she saw stars beginning to dance before her eyes.

Stars...

Dancing…

_A haze seemed to surround her vision, blinding her to everything except her husband standing in the middle of the floor, his eyes following her every move. _

_Anakin..._

_Instinctively, her body responded to the haunting tone of the music, her hands tracing a delicate pattern through the air as she slowly made her way around the floor, easily commanding her legs to follow the elegant series of steps Threepio had taught her. The metal encircling her ankles and wrists made quiet chiming noises as she moved, perfectly in step with the seductive rhythm._

_As the music started to build, she danced towards Anakin, her eyes burning into his. Before she could fully reach him, she slowly started to spin, her hands reaching out to whisper across his face at each turn. His hands clenched into fists at his sides as he felt himself being drawn in by the fire in her eyes. _

_I love you... _

_Her face got closer and closer until he could feel her silky hair brush against his cheek. _

_Only you..._

_Gently, she turned her back to him, still swaying to the beat and reached back to curl her fingers in his hair. Suddenly, he became aware of the building music and recognized it as his cue. Fiercely, he ran his trembling hands down her arms and clasped her fingers. Moving as one, their bodies swept forward, then back - echoing the tones of the soaring music. Together, they swept around the floor in perfect harmony, the colors of their costumes running together until it was impossible to see where one ended and the other began. _

_My love... _

_Gradually, the music began to slow. Her eyes never leaving his, Padme slowly brought her ankle to Anakin's shoulder and let her head fall back, her entire body going limp. Gently, he pulled her across the floor until they came back to the very center. _

_My life... _

_In one fluid motion, she brought both her feet to the ground and entered into a series of slow spins, her lips nearly grazing his at each pass. As the music started to die away, Anakin reached forward and lifted her into his arms, turning her slowly in a circle, his eyes full of love. _

_I am yours... _

_Firmly, she locked her ankles around his waist and hearing the long final note start to fade away, she slowly let go, closing her eyes as her upper body fell back, her head coming to rest mere inches from the floor. _

_Forever._

Her eyes opened lazily and she reached out a hand, trailing shaking fingers through his golden hair. Feeling her touch, Anakin ceased his struggles and turned towards Padme, crying out silently as he saw the faraway look in her eyes.

He grasped her shoulders and pulled her towards him, wrapping his arms around her tightly. She rested her head on his shoulder as her vision began to dim around the edges.

Suddenly, there was a enormous rattling sound, like a chain being pulled across a bumpy surface. Padme watched in amazement as the door suddenly swung open, causing a swirling current to pull her from Anakin's arms. Fighting the pull of the darkness, she kicked upwards, straining to reach the surface before it was too late.

_**00000**_

Beeping in excitement, Artoo spotted the release lever at the very moment the walls started to cave in. Undeterred, he hurried towards it, examining the mechanics involved. Comprehension dawned and he spun around, opening a rear compartment and ejecting a rescue cable. It easily wrapped around the handle and he pulled forward gently to see if it would hold. When it appeared steady, he revved up all his settings to the maximum level and fired his rockets, straining forward with all his might.

_Objective failed._

Artoo shrieked in disappointment as he realized he didn't have enough power to move the lever. He lowered himself to the ground, swiveling slightly as he heard another droid roll into the room. He beeped at it suspiciously and watched it amble over to investigate him.

"I am TX-306, Chief Housekeeping droid. Please follow me. The building is collapsing; all droids are expected to heed the order to evacuate."

Artoo beeped rapidly in response.

"I'm sorry to hear that your friends are trapped, but I have been given orders. Please follow me." The tall housekeeping droid started to roll away.

Artoo whistled angrily and TX-306 stopped suddenly before turning around. "Senator Amidala?" The droid's midsection glowed brightly as its safety programming was activated. "I have been instructed to prevent any injury from befalling the Senator. Potential drowning is unacceptable. We must open the hatches."

Artoo twittered excitedly as he resumed his struggle with the lever, once again firing his rockets at full strength. Moving into action, TX-306 grasped the cable and started forward, metal arms bowing from the effort. Finally, their combined efforts were rewarded by the sound of clanking as the rusted gears slowly churned into motion.

"The hatches are open," TX-306 exclaimed, seconds later. "Now, we must leave this place. Follow me - we can take the service passageways."

There was another loud boom and Artoo screamed as the building came down around him.


	30. Reunited

**Author's Note: **_Never fear, this isn't the last chapter, but it is close to it. I think we might only have one left, two at most. But the good news is that I'm leaving on vacation this Saturday for 10 days so at least I will have this wrapped up before I go - I actually had good timing for a change! Hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks for the reviews – you know by now how happy they make me! You are the best!_

_**00000**_

Padme broke the surface of the T'olp Reservoir and drew in a gasping breath, putting a fist to her mouth to stifle the sudden outburst of coughing. Treading water, she watched Anakin, Obi-wan and Mace pop up a few yards away and grinned widely in relief.

Together, they moved towards the shoreline and stumbled onto the grassy surface, temporarily giving in to their exhaustion. Padme reached out and sought Anakin's hand, relaxing slightly as it curled into hers. From a distance, she could hear the sounds of Jarrick's fortress crumbling and her eyes flickered towards the commotion. A large plume of smoke could be seen spiraling through the tree tops.

She sat up slowly, wiping her face and crinkling her nose at the dark green ooze that came away on her fingertips. _How lovely!_ Gingerly, she rolled her shoulders, wincing as she felt the jagged scrapes on her back. Without even looking, she knew Anakin's eyes were darkening as he took in her injuries. Through their Bond, she could feel a rush of anger spread through his body and she hurried to reassure him.

"I'm okay, Ani," she whispered. "Truly." Her voice grew louder as she directed her next comments to the Jedi Masters, "I just hope I don't have to slide down any drainage pipes in the near future. At least, not while wearing an evening gown. I'm beginning to believe you Jedi don't know how to repay a kind gesture."

Anakin began to smile as the last of his anger drained away. Getting to his feet, he extended a hand to her and she accepted it gratefully, standing just as Obi-wan and Mace walked over.

"Senator, you do raise a good point. Why did you feel the need to dress so formally for your rescue mission?" Obi-wan teased.

"Well, public figures must strive to look their best, no matter what the occasion," she retorted. Affectionately, she wiped a trail of slime from the front of Obi-wan's cloak. "This just brings back such fond memories of the babops, right?" Her sarcasm was rewarded by a burst of laughter from the two Jedi Masters.

His manner once again turning serious, Mace bowed and said, "We are so relieved you are safe, Milady."

"Thank you, Master Windu. The feeling is mutual," she assured him. "I only wish we could have detained our captor. I fear it is only a matter of time before Jarrick strikes again."

"He is dangerous indeed," Obi-wan agreed, his tone somber. "He seems to have an easy control over the Dark side - a talent that even the most knowledgeable Force-user couldn't begin to master on his own."

"So someone has been teaching him?" Anakin asked, his brows furrowed in thought. Unconsciously, he moved closer to Padme as if to shield her from the grave turn their line of thinking was taking them.

"Yes, it appears he has received extensive training," Mace mused, his hand absently stroking his now-familiar goatee. "I will have to discuss this new development with Master Yoda and the rest of the Council. It certainly makes me uneasy. Only a Sith Lord would have such an understanding of the nature of the Dark side."

"We should contact the Council right away. Our ship has been outfitted with an encrypted communicator. Padme, are the ships accessible?" Obi-wan wondered. Anakin looked at her plainly, obviously remembering her 'promise' to leave in the ships if trouble arose.

Padme tried to hide her guilty look as her sneaky plan came to light. Chagrined, she admitted, "Threepio is piloting them discreetly several sectors away. Artoo has the remote we need to signal him."

Anakin fumbled for the sodden com-link and frowned as he tried to activate it. It took a few tries, but he was finally rewarded with a burst of static and a steady hum that indicated it was ready.

"Come in, Artoo," he called. He waited expectantly and felt his heart sink when the line remained silent.

"Artoo?" he tried again. "Come in."

Padme's leaned into Anakin as she realized the faithful droid was missing. Suddenly, it all became clear:the list of possible exits, the schedule of the trash disposal cycle, the miraculous release of the second hatch._ Artoo would have only been able to get that information if he had accessed the main computer-_

"He saved us," she gasped. "Oh no, Artoo! He must have gone into the building! He was probably still in there when it collapsed-" She started towards the smoke that was rising on the horizon but was quickly stopped by Obi-wan.

"There's nothing you can do," he said gently. "We must wait."

Padme opened her mouth to argue but was stopped by the strange noise that was coming from the com-link still held loosely in Anakin's hand. A blast of hope sent her heart racing as she waited for the sounds to be become more distinct. Sure enough, the small droid's beeps and whistles increased in volume as he recounted his trying adventure.

"Well done, Artoo!" Anakin congratulated after a long moment. "Are you picking us up on your scanners? Can you come to us?" After an affirmative reply, the com-link fell silent.

Padme felt a grin split her cheeks in relief. That little droid had been with her through so much, it truly would have been lonely without him.

And not nearly as exciting.

**SHIP OF LIRI AND KAIDE - NINETY MINUTES LATER**

Padme sank into the soft cushions, happy to be clean and clothed in her own garments once more. She grimaced as she remembered how she had tossed the bloody gown into the ship's main engine reactor, watching it evaporate instantly.

If only her memories of the past twelve hours could suffer the same fate.

She shivered as she realized how close she had come to being lost, trapped in an endless nightmare for all eternity. But even that was preferable to the mental images of Anakin, Obi-wan and Mace lying motionless on the ground. She shook her head, reminding herself that the Jedi were free and safe.

But that monster was still out there somewhere, wielding an unnatural and sinister power.

_The Jedi Council will put an end to him,_ she reassured herself. But a nagging voice pointed out that Jarrick had been using this power for years, the Jedi none the wiser.

_But they know now,_ she said firmly. Determined to put the worrisome thoughts from her mind, she called Artoo to her side and patted his domed head affectionately. Her reunion with the compact droid had been joyous but paled in comparison to the scene Threepio made when he returned with the two ships. Padme smiled as the golden droid's voice swirled through her memory:

_"Bless my circuits! R2D2, you could have been terminated!" _

_Artoo beeped indignantly as if offended by the thought. _

_"My little friend, you must be more careful! Oh, it was quite lonesome without you!"_

_Artoo whistled appreciatively as TX-306 watched in amazement at their near-human interaction. Finally, Threepio calmed enough to notice the housekeeping droid standing off to the side._

_"Goodness gracious me. Hello there, I am C-3PO, human-cyborg relations."_

_"I am TX-306, Chief Housekeeping Droid to Master Jarrick."_

_They had all stood a little straighter and widened their eyes as they realized the implications. Perhaps Jarrick hadn't managed to completely slip away after all..._

_"TX-306, how long have you worked for Master Jarrick?" Obi-wan asked politely. Artoo and Threepio quickly backed away, aware that they were not to interfere with 'Jedi business.'_

_"I entered into his service eight standard months ago," came the monotone reply._

_"In that time, did he ever have any other 'important' guests?" Mace inquired casually._

_"Yes, sir-" As soon as the words left the droid's vocabulator, sparks began to shoot out of the main faceplate and its entire body began to quake. _

_"It has been programmed to destruct before revealing too much information!" Anakin blurted, rushing towards the droid. "We need to take her to the Jedi Temple; perhaps I can find a way around the protocol." _

_Nodding, Obi-wan and Mace quieted and the droid immediately returned to its subservient state. Reaching around, Anakin cut the main power supply and settled the deactivated droid into the rear storage closet. Threepio continued to look horrified as he muttered something about, "Self destruct? How uncivilized."_

_"We should contact the Council immediately," Obi-wan suggested. Mace nodded his agreement and removed his cloak from the hanging rack where it was drying._

_"Padme, will you be okay by yourself for a little while?" Anakin asked. Nodding quickly, she watched the three men exit the ship and head for the Dake and Tarv. Threepio obediently followed, calling "Wait for me!" Smiling at their retreating figures, Padme set the security code and practically sprinted for the onboard 'fresher._

The sound of booted footsteps brought her back to the present and she frowned at the puzzled looks on the faces of the three Jedi. She felt her adrenaline begin to spike as she waited for them to speak.

"Please, tell me. What is it?" she finally asked when they continued to stand there, dumbfounded.

"The Council," Mace sputtered. "They are deeply impressed with the success of our undercover personalities."

Padme nodded slowly, trying to understand the source of his bewilderment. _ Surely he should be pleased that the other Jedi Masters thought they had done a good job?_

But then it all became clear as Obi-wan finished his line of thought.

"They think it has gone so well that they want us to continue the act, in case we have need of these aliases again...

Our instructions are to return to Binkai and finish the Race."


	31. The End is Only the Beginning

**TWO WEEKS LATER - PLANET RUSHWOKIAH**

"...Teams must follow the Survivor's Trail to its conclusion! Hurry! The Finish Line is waiting!" Padme called, her voice growing more excited with every word.

Grinning at her enthusiasm, Anakin grabbed her hand and they raced to the large competition field, just as Obi-wan and Mace came over the ridge, arguing loudly.

"Once again, I find myself quite disappointed in your map reading skills!" Mace sniffed, his deep voice carrying on the soft breeze.

"I never got a chance to study the map - you took it before I could-" Obi-wan insisted.

"Dake, this is not the time for excuses!"

Padme stifled a giggle as she carted a heavy load of straw from one bin to another, which was located several yards away. Anakin's eyes met hers as she drew even with him and he raised his eyesbrows, his thoughts echoing in her mind.

_Are you having a laugh at the Jedi Masters' expense? _

Hiding her face behind her heavy burden, she replied innocently: _Me? Never!_

Her legs burning from the strain, she happily deposited the itchy substance into the metal container and brushed her hands off eagerly. She took a deep breath and hurried towards the next obstacle - literally, a stone wall. The hovering camera droid took a lingering shot of the imposing partition.

Her husband, of course, was already scampering halfway up the structure and she frowned at his effortless agility. Determined not to be the reason Obi-wan and Mace got ahead, she gritted her teeth and grabbed onto a handhold. The still-healing scars on her back groaned mildly in protest.

Pushing off with her foot, she ran a hand across the surface until she found a protruding stone. Grasping it, she pulled herself up a bit further as she watched Anakin swing himself up and over the top. _Well, that's a little bit humbling,_ she thought, realizing she was still only a few yards off the ground.

Searching for a foothold, she dug her toes in and continued her upward progress. Finally, she felt her fingers curl over the top of the wall and a pair of warm hands grasped her tightly. Looking up, she saw Anakin's beaming face.

"It's about time, Liri," he teased. Swatting him lightly, she eased a leg over the wall and sat on the ledge to catch her breath. Twisting in her seat, she saw Obi-wan and Mace running towards them and felt a renewed surge of energy rush through her body.

"Time to go!" she called. Scooting forward, she and Anakin fell through the air side-by-side, their hands clasped tightly in between their bodies. They landed on their feet hard and grinned at each other proudly. Hearing the sounds of Obi-wan and Mace beginning their ascent, they immediately began to run.

"Kaide! Over there!" Padme cried, tugging on his hand gently. Hardly stopping as they reached the next task, she flung herself to the ground and used her elbows to pull herself forward under the electrified bands. Anakin was impressed - she was moving as quickly as any Jedi.

_Well done, my love..._

Hearing his thoughts, she turned towards him and smiled, a flush creeping over her cheeks from the physical exertion. For a split second, he simply took her in, noticing the way her braid spilled over her shoulder, the smudge of dirt on her forehead, the sparkle of mischief in her eyes. Despite her disheveled appearance, he realized he had never seen her more beautiful.

_This is how I will always picture her, _he promised himself. He was startled as he heard Padme's reply.

_We'll see about that!_

Winking saucily, she went back to her crawling and he followed, coming up by her side. The electricity hissed and crackled above them, so close to their bodies they could feel the heat it was radiating. Just as they came out safely on the other side, they heard Obi-wan and Mace.

"You must get lower, Tarv!" Obi-wan warned. "If you don't, you're going to-"

"Ouch!" Mace yelped. The scent of a singed cloak filled the air.

"You really should listen to me. I am very wise," Obi-wan said gravely.

Anakin disguised his laugh with a suspicious bout of coughing. Before he could get himself into further trouble, Padme pulled him along, her eyes searching for the next task. Leaving the Jedi Masters behind, they jogged onward until they came upon a wide rope ladder, hanging from a large canopy of trees.

"This doesn't look too difficult," Padme noted happily.

Several long minutes later, she was regretting her optimistic statement. The ladder was only secured at the top, so the slightest movement sent it swinging wildly. She had resorted to climbing and then clinging, a very slow method but one that was at least granting her progress. She spared a quick glance at Anakin who was on the far side of the contraption, muttering to himself. She could only catch bits and pieces of his complaints, but it appeared to be something about Force jumps being much more practical.

Shrugging, she put her foot into the next rung and pushed up, grasping the ropes tightly as the entire structure bucked and rolled. She gasped as one of Anakin's hands slipped, but relaxed when he quickly regained his hold. Shooting her a bemused look, he shimmied up a few more feet and she followed as soon as the ropes stilled.

The top platform was almost in reach and Padme stretched for it, her fingers grazing the wooden surface. Suddenly, Obi-wan and Mace rounded the corner and prepared to dive onto the ropes. Realizing she would be unseated from her precarious position, Padme jumped with all her might, her upper torso landing on the brightly colored plank. Her arm shaking from the effort, she managed to pull herself onto the surface entirely just as Obi-wan and Mace sent the entire ladder swinging.

Standing up, she scanned the area for Anakin, finally finding him standing on a platform opposite her.

"What now?" she asked.

"Do you have a soar bar?" he called back, pointing to the metal pole that rested horizontally inches above his head. Glancing up, she spotted one hidden slightly behind some leaves and she grasped it in her hands, nodding.

"Race you to the bottom!" he challenged, clutching the bar and jumping off the top platform. Immediately, his cable lowered and the wheels on the bar clamped into place, sending him into a rapid, but controlled descent.

Behind her, she could hear Mace yell, "Dake, this is not efficient!"

Without another moment's hesitation, Padme ran forward and leapt into nothingness, hearing the click as the wheels on the bar gripped the cable. Her feet dangled aimlessly in mid-air as the wind rushed over her face, pulling tendrils of hair free from her braid. She laughed out loud, enjoying a moment of complete freedom as the world carried on beneath her.

Finally, the track leveled out and she dragged the toes of her boots on the ground, trying to slow her speed. Satisfied she could disembark safely, she let go, the momentum causing her to stumble forward. Anakin was there to catch her, barely rocking back on his heels when she collided with him.

Pressing a gentle kiss to her temple, he stepped to the side, revealing the glimmering _Racing Through the Stars Finish Line _hologram in the distance. The profound moment was interrupted as Obi-wan and Mace came careening down their zip-lines, moving too fast to stop properly. Realizing their predicament, they executed a simultaneous back-flip, landing on their feet and sending their soar bars bouncing off the track...

...and right into the _Dake and Tarv_ hovering camera droid, which exploded in a dazzling display of fire and pyrotechnics.

Glancing around at each other, they all smiled politely before starting a mad dash for the finish line. Padme pumped her legs as fast as she could, pleased to see she was keeping up quite well with Anakin and Mace. Obi-wan was on her heels, having gotten a delayed start when his cloak snagged on the smoldering wreckage of the camera droid.

When the mat got within 'diving' distance, they all did just that, causing the host droid to squeal in dismay at their undignified arrival. After the commotion subsided, there was a long stretch of silence before they began to untangle themselves. Slowly, they all stood and looked at the host droid expectantly.

"Racers, please pardon me for a moment," he intoned. Wheeling a good distance away, he ran an internal check and confirmed that his sensors were on overload. He quickly performed a system reset and cued his playback monitors, beeping in satisfaction as the outcome became clear. Returning to the mat, he faced the anxious teams.

"Welcome to Rushwokiah, the final destination of _Racing Through the Stars._ Teams have been through a lot to get here-" At that, four pairs of eyes met, laughing silently at the understatement. Not comprehending their amusement, the droid continued, "Liri and Kaide... You are team number two."

"Yes!" Mace cried, thumping Obi-wan on the back hard and knocking him slightly off-balance.

"Congratulations, Tarv. And you too, Dake," Anakin said, bowing politely. Padme stepped forward and embraced the Jedi Masters, praising them for a race well run. Linking her hand with Anakin's, they stepped off the mat, leaving Obi-wan and Mace front and center.

The droid looked confused for a minute and then brightened as he turned towards the Jedi.

"Dake and Tarv," he began, pausing to let the camera droid capture the moment. The two Jedi straightened proudly, looking enormously pleased.

"You are team number _three."_

"WHAT?" Mace cried. Obi-wan merely looked stunned.

"You are team number three," the droid repeated, a bit slower.

"But, they were team number two-" Mace continued, pointing to Anakin and Padme.

"Yes," the droid agreed. "And Holad and Duley were team number one. So, unless my programming is malfunctioning, that makes you team number three."

Mace stared at the droid for a moment, a myriad of emotions running across his face. Turning away abruptly, he strode off the mat and entered the hotel.

Neither of the Jedi nor the Senator seemed too surprised when the host droid suddenly staggered backwards as if shoved by an invisible hand.

**RUSHWOKIAH INN - TWO HOURS LATER**

Padme held the spoon in her hand gently, trying to suppress the yawn that threatened to swallow her whole. Anakin caught her drowsy expression and smiled, sensing her weariness but also her contentment through their Bond. Taking a sip of the tea she offered, he curled up next to her in the overstuffed chair, not bothering to rise when their visitor's chime sounded.

"We should get that," she mumbled, her head tucked lazily under his chin.

"I know," he replied quietly, his eyes closing involuntarily.

"You know it's Masters Kenobi and Windu," she added.

"They can use the Force, let them open it," he grumbled, reluctant to move a muscle.

"Ani..." she warned.

"All right, all right," he relented. Raising a hand, he reached into the Force and unlatched the door, watching it slide open with a muted hiss.

Obi-wan and Mace stood on the other side looking slightly disgruntled at the delayed welcome. Trying to smooth things over, Padme left her comfortable spot and summoned Threepio. Immediately, the golden droid hurried into the room, carrying a tray laden with cakes, fruits and beverages.

"Masters, won't you please join us for dessert?" she asked, gesturing to the food that was being placed on the table. Anakin quickly rose, coming to stand behind Padme.

"Yes, please join us," he added, placing a hand on his wife's shoulder. "We have much to celebrate."

Mace glared at him darkly, the third place finish obviously continuing to cause him aggravation. Hurriedly, Anakin moved to clarify his statement:

"I was speaking of the destruction of the weapon, of course."

"Well then," Mace responded, entering the suite steps behind Obi-wan. "We would be honored."

Moments later, they were all seated around the large dining table, drinks in hand. Their plates were heaped with fruits, but the cakes lay untouched, the recent eating challenge still lingering in their minds.

"It was truly an exciting adventure," Mace said solemnly.

"Too exciting at some points," Padme interjected. A round of laughter followed her comment.

"You always speak the truth, Milady," Mace acknowledged ruefully.

"Unfortunately, the mystery isn't over yet. And it won't be until we can find Jarrick," Obi-wan mused. "There is a good chance the Council may find it necessary to call on us again." Mace nodded, agreeing with Obi-wan's assessment.

"You have our promise, Master," Anakin replied, squeezing Padme's hand. "We will help any way we can."

"I know," Obi-wan responded warmly. There was a quiet moment while the foursome studied each other, contemplating the many twists their journey had taken and the dark realization that it wasn't over yet.

Raising her glass, Padme proposed a toast: "To family, friendship and unbreakable bonds. May love always triumph over evil."

The words reverberated throughout the room, keeping the mist at bay.

At least for now.

**-FIN-**

_**00000**_

**Author's Note:** _See Chapter 11 for a brief mention of Holad and Duley._

**Most Important Author's Note**: _A huge thank you to all my faithful readers, most especially: _

**Zan189, Hellish Red Devil, meandmysharpie** - _you three kept me laughing with your witty comments and sincere compliments. I love it! _

**Hopeless4life, Eriks leadinglady** -_ you two are always so quick to review and your pleas for quick updates keep me hustling - thanks for the nudges! _

**Anakin's Girl**, **Rachel 791**, **Niraha Skywalker** - _you offer such insightful praise and encouragement and I always look forward to your takes on the chapter. _

_And_ **jumpforjoy**, _you get your wish - I am planning a sequel to this story!_

_Again, I want you all to know how much I appreciate your kind words and for taking the time out of your very busy lives to read my writing. I am extremely honored and hope you'll join me for the **third** installment of our ongoing saga** - COMING SOON!** In the meantime, I welcome your comments / ideas, as always! Thanks again!_


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